The Madman, The Box, and a Budding Rose
by AmyBella88
Summary: Rose and the doctor have been reunited post-doomsday. They set off to travel the stars and discover how to be lovers as well as friends. But there is an unintended consequence of their newly amorous relationship. How will they cope with the prospect of parenthood? Now that the doctor dances, can he do domestic?
1. Chapter 1

**This story follows my other stories Christmas Planet, All I Want for Christmas, but it should be able to stand alone. I really appreciate everyone that reads, and especially comments. Thank you all so much, and I hope you enjoy.**

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Rose had never been happier in her whole life. Only six months ago she had believed she would never be happy again. Trapped in Pete's World, trying to make a life without her beloved doctor, attempting to fill the hole with order after order of greasy chips… well it wasn't a very nice existence to say the least. But all that had changed when the doctor exchanged his remaining regeneration energy for a tunnel between universes, and a way back to Rose. He had whisked her away for a holiday adventure on Christmas Planet, where they had _finally_ expressed their love for each other. There were a lot of firsts for Rose on Christmas Planet, first time meeting Santa (the real one that is, who turned out to be a little red alien), first time seeing a reindeer fly, and most importantly, first time with the doctor. It had been a desperately romantic evening, that night the doctor had claimed her and finally said those three little words that meant so much to both of them. Rose knew she would never forget that moment.

They stayed on Christmas planet a few days more, but after the holiday both Rose and the doctor were itching for new adventures. Despite the time they had spent apart, Rose slipped easily back into life on the TARDIS. Things had gone back to normal with the doctor, which is to say not normal at all, since everything around him had a way of going wonky. Apart from each other though, this is what Rose and the doctor loved the most, the thrill of the unknown. Nothing could compare to the feeling of throwing open those TARDIS doors onto an unknown world, just brimming with possibilities.

Everything was as it should be, Rose Tyler, with the doctor, in the TARDIS. It was just like before that horrible day that had separated them, but with one very important difference. Now they could explore each other as well as alien worlds. They slept in the doctor's room, although the TARDIS had retained Rose's old room too, as she still kept her clothes in the wardrobe. Sometimes Rose couldn't believe it was true, the doctor in a _relationship_. But he was surprisingly romantic and even domestic in those rare moments when he let his guard down. Although he shuddered to think what the Council of the Time Lords would say to some of the things he had done lately. Sharing a toothbrush with a human was definitely not considered respectable on Gallifrey. Despite these moments of anxiety though, both the doctor and Rose were happier than ever.

A few weeks after their departure from Christmas Planet found Rose and the doctor strolling through a marketplace on the desert planet Silicadron II. The bazar was a sight to behold with sellers housed in colorful silken tents, but the heat was oppressive. Beads of sweat rolled down Rose's neck, while the doctor stayed comfortably cool due to his "superior Time Lord genes." He babbled unendingly about the native people, who looked like extra-graceful humans with really long necks, oblivious to his companion's discomfort. Rose stopped to admire a blue glass lantern, and take advantage of the shaded stall.

"What do you think, Doctor?" she asked. "Wouldn't this go nicely in the TARDIS cinema?"

"Mmm hmm." The doctor replied absently. He was distracted by another shiny object on the table. "Look at this, Rose! Do you know what this is?" Rose glanced over at the doctor who was holding a small silver tube in his hand. She raised her eyebrows. "It's a Thermo-kinetic Hopper!" the doctor declared, grinning madly.

"Come again?" said Rose.

"Oh, come on Rose, a Thermo-kinetic Hopper? You know!"

"Err, no, I don't know…" responded Rose.

"It's like a pogo stick for high temperature climates. But it's more than that, it's fantastic! You don't have to do any of the jumping, it's powered by heat!" Rose looked again at the small object, wrinkling her brow.

"You'd have to be pretty small to get much use out of it…" she reasoned.

"Ah, but it's telescopic!" declared the doctor, pressing a button on the top. The little tube began to extend out and out until it was a little longer than the average earth pogo stick. The doctor tapped the button again, and the top portion bended over to form handlebars while pedals popped out of the pole. Rose couldn't help but be impressed, but hoped the doctor wouldn't get any mad ideas about using the thing.

"We should get it!" he said enthusiastically. Rose groaned inwardly. There was no stopping boys and their toys. Needless to say, they left the stall with the Thermo-kinetic Hopper as well as the blue lantern. "C'mon Rose, let's have a go!" the doctor urged.

"Doctor, it's so hot…" Rose began.

"Yep!" he responded, popping the p. "It's perfect!"

"No, I meant I'm hot." Rose explained.

"Well, I won't argue with you there." The doctor answered cheekily. Unfortunately, Rose wasn't really in the mood for flirting, as she was a sweaty mess.

"You go on, Doctor." She said tiredly. "I'm gonna go sit down over there." She motioned to a lavishly decorated tent that appeared to house some kind of café.

"But Rooooose," the doctor whined. "It's no fun to thermo-hop on my own." He made a dejected face, but then looked closely at Rose. She was looking rather peaky, he thought. The doctor looked at the hopper, and then over at the café tent. "Although, I suppose we could delay the thermo-hopping for a kriil cone!" the doctor led Rose towards the shady tent.

"What's kriil?" asked Rose apprehensively, although happy to have escaped a thermo-hop for the moment.

"Oh it's marvelous!" declared the doctor. "It's the ice cream of this planet, except it's more of a foam than a cream, and if we're lucky they might have crispy aphid sprinkles!"

At the doctor's insistence Rose had a cone piled high with foamy scoops of multi-colored kriil. It was surprisingly delicious, and Rose eagerly lapped it up, as she realized how hungry she was. She licked her lips making a noise of satisfaction, when she caught the doctor staring at her.

"What?" she demanded. "Do I have kriil on my face?"

"Oh, erm, no…"the doctor mumbled, going slightly pink. "I was just watching, I mean er… you, your mouth, that is. I mean to say, you're quite attractive when you eat a kriil cone…" he finished awkwardly.

"Oh," Rose giggled. "Well maybe we should get kriil more often." She said seductively.

"Indeed." The doctor responded in a low voice.

Suddenly a shrill beeping punctured the air. Rose prepared to run, assuming it was some sort of warning alarm, but the doctor squealed delightedly, in a most un-manly way. "Oooooh, it's fully charged!" he waved the pogo-hopper-thermo-whatever in Rose's face. "Let's hop!"

Rose didn't have the heart to refuse him again, although she was starting to feel a little queasy from all the kriil. He dragged her by the hand out into the street, and hoisted her up on to the pedals. He nimbly jumped on behind her, pressing himself into her back, and reaching around for the handles. "Ready?" the doctor called, but didn't wait for an answer. He pressed the button and suddenly they sprung into the air, crashing back down, and then bouncing up once more. The doctor was laughing like mad, but Rose was holding on for dear life. It was a rougher ride than she had imagined. The crowd of long-necked shoppers parted in front of them as they careened wildly down the street. Up, down, up, down, they went. The doctor couldn't see it, but Rose's face was taking on a greenish hue.

"Err, Doctor?" she called, but her voice was drowned out as the doctor whooped in her ear. "Doctor!" she tried again, "I think I'm gonna be…" Rose was cut short as she started to wretch over the handle bars. The unfortunately multi-colored kriil made its reappearance. The doctor realized what was happening and brought the hopper to a stop at the side of the road. He cast the offending stick to one side and rubbed Rose's back as she crouched by a gutter. After a few minutes Rose raised her head and said in a weak voice, "maybe we should skip the kriil, next time."

The doctor chuckled softly, his face still full of concern for his pink and yellow human. "C'mon, let's get you back to the TARDIS." He said as he led her back down the street, leaving the Thermo-hopper forgotten in the sand.


	2. Chapter 2

Once back on the TARDIS the doctor took Rose straight to the medical bay. He gestured her to sit on the examination table and set about hunting for something in the clutter of alien instruments.

"Doctor, really, I'm feeling better now." Rose protested. "There's no need…"

"Ah, ah, ah, Miss Tyler, I plan to give you a thorough going over!" said the doctor determinedly.

"Is that a promise?" Rose said teasingly. Her mind seemed to be permanently in the gutter these days. The doctor, catching her tone, sputtered.

"That's not quite what I meant, Rose"

"Yeah, I know." Rose said sulkily. "Well, it looks like we're both gonna be disappointed, Doctor, cause I'm not letting you prod me with some Martian scanner, either." With that, Rose quickly left the room, cutting off another plea from the doctor.

An hour or so later, the doctor was starting to worry. He had decided to let Rose have some space when she left the med bay. After all they had been practically attached at the hip for the last month. He had gone to pay some much needed attention to his magnificent ship, which he had been neglecting lately. Still, his mind was on Rose. He patted the TARDIS console and went off to check on her. After searching the cinema, library, and flower garden, he finally found her fast asleep in her own room. The décor, chosen by the TARDIS, was quite different from the doctor's room. Everything was pink and lilac, even the duvet Rose was now curled up in was decorated in bright pink polka dots. The doctor sat down lightly on the bed next to Rose and watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. He was entranced by the sight, and imagined he would be content to watch her sleep for an eternity. Suddenly, however, Rose's breathing became erratic, her face contorting with emotion. At the sound of her cry, the doctor gently shook her awake.

"Rose. Rose, wake up. C'mon, my Rose…" he murmured gently. Rose awoke with a gasp and looked around in panic. "Shhhh, it's okay, Rose. You were only dreaming. I'm here. You're safe." The doctor comforted her. Rose relaxed in his arms, coming back to herself.

"How long have I been asleep?" Rose asked.

"Not long." The doctor answered. "How are you feeling?"

"Better I think." She responded. "I think I might be ready for my examination now, Doctor." She added cheekily.

"Indeed, well you must be feeling better." He joined in the playful banter. "First I'll need to check your temperature." He placed his cool lips on her forehead. "Ninety-seven point two. Completely normal." Rose snorted, disbelieving that the doctor could get such a precise reading from a kiss. The doctor raised his eyebrow at her. "You know I am called the doctor for a reason, Miss Tyler. But perhaps I should check again…" he moved down to kiss her lips. "Hmmm," he murmured. "Nine-seven point six, here." He moved down again kissing her throat. "Ninety-eight point one!" he exclaimed, tutting. "Miss Tyler, I believe you are warming at a dangerous rate."

"Oh dear." Rose feigned concern. "What treatment do you recommend, Doctor?"

"Only one thing for it…" he told her seriously, and proceeded to give his patient just what she needed.

The next week was a whirlwind of travel as the doctor and Rose hopped from planet to planet solving mysteries and saving civilizations. Though she tried not to let the doctor know, Rose never quite shook the tiredness and queasy feeling she had picked up on Silicadron II. Surely it would pass, no need to worry him, she thought. Besides Rose was too busy enjoying this new relationship. It turned out that the doctor was full of weird and wonderful surprises, and loved to take Rose on exotic dates.

Tonight it was the revolving restaurant on top of the Luxor tower on New Earth. The view was amazing. All the lights of the New Las Vegas strip unfurled below them like a twinkling carpet. The restaurant spun slowly to give its patrons the full panoramic experience, while waiters in white tie scurried to and fro bringing immaculate dishes of the finest cuisine. The doctor had ordered a very expensive bottle of Dom Perignon, and raised a fizzing glass in a toast.

"To you, my beautiful Rose." He said, beaming.

"To _us_." Rose corrected him.

"To a month of uninterrupted pleasure." The doctor responded, raising his eyebrow sultrily.

"I'll drink to that." Rose said, smiling. They clinked glasses and both sipped their champagne. Suddenly though, Rose set her glass back down.

"What's wrong? Is the champagne alright?" asked the doctor, concerned. It tasted fine to him, but Rose had been funny about food lately. She had always loved waffles in the morning, but the last time the doctor whipped out the waffle iron, just the smell of them cooking had made her sick.

"S'fine. It's lovely." Rose assured the doctor. She tried to keep her voice calm, but she was frantically doing math in her head. A whole _month_ of uninterrupted pleasure? Had it really been a month? Rose swallowed hard.

"Are you sure everything's alright?" asked the doctor. "You're looking rather pale. Should we go back to the TARDIS?"

"Doctor, I'm perfectly fine!" Rose insisted, although her heart was racing. "I'm just hungry. Let's order!" The doctor eyed Rose skeptically, but shrugged it off. The food was a spectacular mix of old earth and alien recipes, and they both ate until bursting. However, the doctor noticed, Rose never picked up her champagne again. That night Rose insisted on sleeping in her own bed for the first time since the two had become lovers. Something was definitely wrong. The doctor spent a restless night worrying, and decided to bring it up with Rose first thing in the morning.

And he would have, except for the unfortunate distraction of the TARDIS landing on a planet mid-civil war, requiring the doctor and Rose to once again run for their lives lest they be caught in the crossfire of guerilla factions. They were sprinting through the underbrush of the humid jungle, just meters away from the safety of the TARDIS when it happened. Rose's grip on the doctor's hand slackened alarmingly. At first the doctor thought she might be wounded, but he hadn't heard a shot. It seemed Rose had crumpled to the ground in a dead faint. The doctor scooped her up and sprinted with her in his arms through the TARDIS doors and back to the med bay.

"Rose… Rose. C'mon, talk to me Rose." The doctor's voice cajoled. Rose opened her eyes and his concerned face swam into her fuzzy vision.

"Doctor." Rose croaked out, and a smile of relief lit up his face.

"Thank Rassilon! Oh, Rose!" The doctor squeezed her to his body. She seemed to be laying down on a hard table with the doctor cradling her upper body.

"How did I get here?" Rose asked, groggy.

"You fainted, Love." The doctor told her, using a rare term of endearment. "I'm not quite sure why, but I'm running some initial scans now." Rose tried to sit up. "No, no, you stay still." Commanded the doctor. A thousand thoughts and worries ran through her head, but Rose realized that the only thing she could do was to share her suspicions with the Doctor. He would probably see it on the scan anyway, well if there was anything to see. Oh God. Rose took a breath.

"Doctor?" she said.

"What is it?" he asked, adjusting his position to make her more comfortable.

"Doctor, I, err, I think I may be pregnant."


	3. Chapter 3

There was a long silence. "Doctor, say something. Please." Rose begged. It was quite disturbing for her to see the doctor lost for words, since he was usually so verbose. The doctor just stood there looking at Rose, his mouth hanging slightly open. His mind was a whirlwind of emotion, everything from panic, to self-loathing, to exuberant glee passed through him. Could it be true, what Rose had said? It shouldn't have been possible. No Time Lord had ever cross bred with a human before. Even on Gallifrey, children were born of the loom; they had been for thousands of years. "Doctor?" Rose asked again.

"Rose." Her name was the one word he could mange.

"Doctor, I…" Rose began again, stumbling over her words. "I mean I'm not sure about this. I mean, is it even possible. We never talked about birth control or anything…" she trailed off.

"I don't know if it's possible." The doctor admitted, his face still unreadable.

"You don't know?" Rose was surprised. There were few things the doctor didn't know, or at least pretend to know about.

"Well it's not like there have been a lot of human-Time Lord couples in history, Rose." The doctor defended himself.

"Right." She said. "So how do we find out?"

"The scan should pick it up, if you are…you know, pregnant." The doctor answered stiffly. "It should take about an hour. I'll be back when it beeps." He said and then without another word, strode out of the room.

The doctor took long strides down the TARDIS corridor, running his hands through his hair in anxiety. How could he have let this happen? He hated himself for leaving Rose alone in the med bay, but he needed to work some things out in his head. Would she even want to keep the baby? It was like a cheap earth horror film, being impregnated with an alien. But what if she wanted to keep it? The doctor daren't let himself hope. It was too much to wish for, to have Rose and the child, true love and the continuation of his long-dead race…he didn't deserve that much happiness. What should he say to Rose? Of course, he shouldn't say anything at all. The doctor refused to pressure her either way. He would accept her decision without protest. He only hoped she would stay with him. They'd come so far, he couldn't lose her now.

Back in the med bay the scanner beeped twice to indicate it's completion. Rose looked up as the doctor walked back into the room. It was evident she had been crying as her eyes were puffy. Instead of comforting her though, the doctor strode purposefully towards the machine. There it was, a tiny blue spot pulsing on the screen. Without thinking, the doctor turned up the volume on the machine so the sound of a quick double-heartbeat filled the room.

"Oh my God, Is that…?" Rose began, choking up again. The doctor kept his back turned to her, but nodded in assent. It was impossible, the doctor couldn't hold in his emotions. He wanted desperately to turn and take his precious Rose in his arms and declare how much he loved her and their unborn baby. He wanted to tell her how he would care for her, and for the child, and that everything was going to be wonderful. Instead, the doctor wordlessly walked out the door, shut it behind him, and shuddered as his own tears began to spill down his face.

Rose couldn't help but be shocked at the doctor's behavior. Was he so disgusted at the idea of her having his child that he could no longer look at her? What had happened to that tender, romantic man that Rose had come to know? She sat for a few minutes more, just listening to the whoosh-whoosh or her baby's hearts. In those moments her resolve hardened. Whether the doctor wanted her or not, Rose was keeping this baby. Even if it meant she had to leave her life aboard the TARDIS, there was no way she would give up the little life within her. Her strong will blended with a new surge of fierce maternal instinct. Her love for the doctor was inseparable from her love for this baby. To love one was to love the other, since she now carried a part of him. In this knowledge, Rose took comfort, and made her way back to her room, collapsing on the bed in exhaustion.

The TARDIS hummed in concern. Both of her passengers shed tears in different locations. Why did her silly Time Lord have to make everything so complicated? It is so clearly meant to be: The doctor and the Bad Wolf should be together. Life created from their love should be bringing _joy_ to the universe. Everything was all wrong, and the TARDIS intended to do something about it.

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**Sorry this is a short chapter, I just felt like it should end here. Another one coming soon I hope! Thanks so much for reading, and please review if you want :)**


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a long night for the doctor; much of it spent pacing the TARDIS corridors. Sometimes his superior cognitive abilities were a curse, making the simplest decisions a maze of imagined complications. He had run through every possible scenario concerning Rose and the baby, but instead of finding clarity, the result had only been desperate worry for the two people he loved most in the universe. "What am I supposed to do?" the doctor demanded of the empty air, slamming his fists into the wall.

He was surprised to feel the TARDIS nudging him back telepathically. Although the doctor always felt connected to his ship on some level, she rarely intruded into the forefront of his mind. The ship whined, as if to chastise the Time Lord for his indecision. Slowly a picture came into focus in front of the doctor's ancient eyes. It was a woman, a woman with long blond hair, smiling softly. Though she looked different, the doctor recognized her immediately. It was Rose. Now, as the doctor gazed at her, two more figures began to materialize. One was the image of the doctor himself, same suit, same face, although he wore a few more laugh lines around his eyes. The real doctor held his breath as the third figure emerged. Could it be? A young boy stood in front of the happy images of Rose and the doctor. He looked about ten years old with wild, sandy hair and deep brown eyes. The child was grinning mischievously and held a smaller version of the doctor's own sonic screwdriver tightly in his hand.

The doctor sunk to his knees, reaching out as if to touch the child, and yet he knew it was only a projection of the TARDIS. As he stretched his arm, vainly trying to touch the boy's face, the image dissolved. The doctor found his hand resting on the cool surface of a door. The TARDIS had made her point. Whatever the doctor needed could be found behind this door. She had led him here, and she always took him where he needed to go.

Rose awoke smiling. She had been dreaming of the doctor. It was so vividly clear. He had been holding a tiny, snuffling newborn. Rose had never seen such tenderness on his face. As she returned to wakefulness though, the pain of yesterday returned to her. It was a cruel dream to have, when it seemed it could never come true. Rose sat up, pulling her knees in to her chest. Her bottom lip began to tremble, and an all too familiar tightness began in her throat. She was on the verge of tears when a shushing sound startled her. Rose looked around the room, but she was alone. It sounded like it had come from the ship itself. Probably the TARDIS was just venting some gas or other, she thought. But then she felt it, a gentle but insistent push against her mind. Rose recognized the feeling from some of her more intimate moments with the doctor, when he had they had merged their thoughts as well as bodies. The doctor wasn't here though.

"Bad Wolf" she heard the words echo in her head, as if she had thought them herself. "Bad Wolf" it came again, and then she knew. Somewhere in the depths of her being, remnants of the vortex responded to the call of the TARDIS. It was like meeting with an old and trusted friend.

"Bad Wolf," it came again, "do not be frightened, for you have seen into my heart, and I into yours. Do not despair, for you carry a child of Time and all will be well." The TARDIS comforted Rose. "You have healed the lonely traveler. Be patient and have faith in his hearts." And at that the sentient ship withdrew back into the subtle hum of her everyday state.

A moment later, the doctor opened the door. Their eyes met and powerful surge of love passed between them. The doctor moved forward and sat on the bed, wrapping Rose in his long arms. The stayed like this for a few moments, silently snuggled into each other.

"Whatever you want, Rose." The doctor whispered. "However you decide, I'll be here."

"Do you mean it?" she whispered back.

"Yes." He answered.

"I want to know what _you_ want, Doctor." Rose told him.

"What I want doesn't matter." The doctor said.

"It matters to me." Rose insisted. "I need to know." And then the doctor did something he had never done before. Perhaps it was because of the vision the TARDIS had shown him, or perhaps it was simply his growing intimacy with Rose. The doctor took a deep breath, and ignoring the many protestations in his head, he revealed the secret feelings of his hearts.

"I want this child. I really do, Rose. Maybe I shouldn't say it, and I don't want you to feel pressured, but you said you need to know, so I'm telling you." He said it all in one breath. "I love you so much it scares me. I already love our child, this impossible child. He shouldn't even exist. Honestly Rose, I didn't think… I would never have let myself touch you, if I thought this could happen. But I did, and now I can't help but be glad." Once he started to open up, the doctor couldn't stop himself. "The universe is big, Rose. It's vast and complicated and... ridiculous and sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles. This baby is our miracle."

The doctor opened his mouth to continue his litany of heartfelt musings, but Rose put a finger to his lips. Tears were sparkling in her eyes, but for once they were tears of joy. The doctor looked at her questioningly. This is the point where she says she wants to go home, thought the doctor. Instead, Rose took his large hand and placed it onto her abdomen right above the place where their baby was growing.

"Allons-y" Rose said breaking into a grin.

"So… So we're, I mean… he's… we're having a baby?" the doctor sputtered in excitement and disbelief. Rose nodded.

"Yup" she said. The doctor gave a whoop of glee and swept Rose up into his arms, swinging her around. She laughed. The doctor set Rose's feet on the floor and started kissing her lips, her cheeks, and her forehead, all over her face. He only stopped to let Rose catch her breath.

"I hope this kid inherits your respiratory bypass system." said Rose. "But my fashion sense." she added teasingly.

"He's going to be the most brilliant baby in all time and space!" the doctor insisted. Rose and the doctor couldn't stop grinning madly. "Rose Tyler, I love you. A thousand times, I love you." The doctor kissed her again.

"I love you, my Doctor." She told him once he had released her mouth. "We better go and tell Mum the news…" The doctor swallowed hard.

"Allons-y…" he said weakly.

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Sorry this chapter took so long to get up. Also, the quote about miracles is borrowed from the 11th doctor, so not mine, unfortunately. If anyone has ideas about what you would like to see next in the story or anything please let me know. And review! Thanks so much!


	5. Chapter 5

"You're what?!" screamed an irate Jackie Tyler at her daughter. She was standing in the living room of the mansion she and Pete had moved into, hands on hips as she stared accusingly back and forth between Rose and the doctor. The doctor was expending a lot of effort avoiding Jackie's glare and trying not to get slapped.

"You heard me, Mum." Rose said defiantly. "The doctor and me are gonna have a baby."

"Yeah, I heard that bit!" Jackie responded sarcastically. "So just how did this happen, young lady?"

"How'd you think?" Rose answered smartly. The two Tyler women made quite the pair going at each other with no punches pulled. The doctor accidentally snorted under his breath.

"Oh, so you think this if funny, do you?" Jackie turned on him. "I like that! He comes in here like he's not bothered, and sweeps you away to go 'traveling,' and now look at the state of you! Pregnant by an alien! I always knew no good could come of it."

"Mum!" Rose shouted. "If you think your grandchild is 'no good' then I guess we won't have to bother coming round here anymore!"

"That's not what I said." answered Jackie in a huff.

"Well it's what you meant!" insisted Rose.

"Fine, maybe I shouldn't have said that last bit, but still, Rose. Look at you! Look at how you live! Always off in that machine, getting into trouble, almost getting killed! How's a baby supposed to work with that? You don't know what it's like, being a mother… Always worried something's gonna happen." Jackie trailed off.

"Mum," Rose began more soothingly. "You don't have to worry. We'll figure it all out. And the Doctor would never let anything happen to me or the baby." Jackie looked over at the doctor once more, but now he found the courage to meet her eyes.

"It's true, Jackie." He told her. "I promise to protect your daughter and our child until my last breath."

"Well you'd better." Jackie said begrudgingly. "Well then," she humphed, "when "is this little miracle scheduled to arrive?"

"Well we're not quite sure, actually." Rose explained to her mother. "See, there's never been a human-Time Lord baby before that we know of, so we're just gonna have to wait and see about some things. The doctor looked me over though, and he thinks the baby will probably come sometime in October."

"Right." said Jackie briskly. "Well that doesn't give us too much time, does it?"

"Time? Time for what?" asked the doctor.

"Time to plan the baby shower of course! Or don't you have those on Mars,,," Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Oy, it's Gallifrey! I'm from Gallifrey, not Mars." huffed the doctor in offense.

"Whatever." Jackie shrugged. "Rose, you make up a list of who you want to invite. I suppose you'll want Shareen there." She said referring to Rose's long-time mate.

"Mum," began Rose with a warning tone in her voice.

"What?" demanded Jackie.

"Just don't go overboard with this, okay?" Rose pleaded.

"Me? When do I ever go overboard with anything?" Jackie asked innocently. Rose gave the doctor an apologetic look.

"What is a baby shower, exactly?" asked the doctor, unfamiliar with this particular earth custom. "A party to wash off the baby?" Rose couldn't help but giggle.

"Er, not quite, Doctor." She said smiling. "I'll explain it all back in the TARDIS."

Just then the door flew open and in sprinted an out of breath Pete followed by none other than Mickey Smith.

"We thought we heard the TARDIS…" called Mickey. Pete was already embracing Rose, the daughter he never knew he had. He moved to shake hands with the doctor, and they said their mutual hellos.

"I thought you weren't going to be back for a while yet?" said Pete questioningly. "Y'know with the link between universes being so new and all."

"Well, we weren't planning to come back right away." Explained Rose, "but we missed you all so much." Mickey grinned at this.

"Bollocks!" Jackie said incredulously. "They didn't come back just for a visit. Wait til you hear what this lot have got to say, Pete!"

"What is it?" asked Pete concerned. "Is everything all right? You aren't sick are you Rose? You haven't caught something out there in space?"

"Oh she's caught something alright!" Jackie snorted. "But don't you worry Pete, I dare say it'll work its way out of her system in nine months or so." Mickey tilted his head to the side in confusion. Pete's jaw dropped.

"Nine months?" asked Mickey. "What d'you mean, nine months? Rose, you're not…? Rose nodded, smiling. Mickey turned on the doctor. "Why you dirty old…!"

"That'll do, Mickey." interrupted Pete. Mickey stopped talking, but retained a disapproving frown. "Well now," Said Pete, addressing the doctor and his daughter, "May I ask how you two feel about this?"

"Honestly, we think it's brilliant." said the doctor who had been uncharacteristically silent thus far. Rose nodded her assent.

"Really Dad, we couldn't be happier." She told her father. Pete mulled this over for a moment.

"Well, if you're happy, then I'm happy." he declared resolutely. "Congratulations, my darling Rose!" His voice was heartfelt. "And you," he turned to Jackie, "I assume you've been giving them the third degree." Jackie had the good grace to look slightly ashamed. "But let them be now. They're both adults. They'll manage just fine. We should be pleased about all this. You can't tell me you aren't excited about having a grandchild to spoil!" Pete said knowingly. Jackie grinned at him.

"Oh, Pete!" she exclaimed happily and ran to embrace him in a hug. It was so good for Jackie to have her other half back. "Oh, Rose! Doctor! Come 'ere!" she cried, her joy overflowing now that she had released it. She pulled all three of them together into a hug. Mickey still stood scowling in the corner.

"I suppose nobody gives a toss about how I feel!" he called to the group.

"Oh, Mickey c'mon!" said Rose.

"Yeah, Mickey, you get over here too!" Jackie demanded, letting go of everyone. She moved to put an arm around Mickey's shoulder. "You know it's been long over between you and Rose." She said soothingly.

"Yeah, but still." Argued Mickey. "I didn't expect this!"

"Nor did I!" exclaimed Jakie, "but Pete's right, it's time to get over the shock and wish them well."

"I guess…" relented Mickey grudgingly. He walked over to the doctor and extended his hand. "Cheers, mate."

"Cheers!" said the doctor enthusiastically shaking Mickey's hand. The doctor was relieved for he knew that Rose wouldn't be completely happy until Mickey had accepted the news.

"Congratulations." said Mickey, turning to Rose.

"Thanks, Mickey." She answered, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Mickey smiled.

Pete called out for pizza, and Rose and the doctor stayed for dinner. The conversation was mostly dominated by Rose and her mother twittering about baby things, while the three men glanced at each other in mutual ignorance. Once everything was cleared away, the doctor and Rose announced it was time to get back to the TARDIS, but Jackie wouldn't let them go without repeated assurances that she would be the first to know about any developments in Rose's pregnancy.

"Make sure to rest and put your feet up!" Jackie called as the travelers were about to depart. "And remember to call me with your guest list for the shower! And don't go doing anything dangerous!"

"Alright, Mum, I've got it." Rose responded. "Love you!" and with that Rose shut the door and Pete, Jackie, and Mickey all watched the wheezing TARDIS disappear into the vortex.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! I've started working on my Harry Potter story too, and if you like this one you may like that one too, so take a look if the mood strikes you! Thanks for all your comments and reviews. Please keep them coming as they inspire me to keep writing. Hopefully another installment will be along shortly. Thanks!**

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Over the next several weeks the doctor attempted, rather unsuccessfully, to steer clear of any troublesome planets or eras. Despite his best efforts to shield Rose from unnecessary danger, the pair kept up their usual pace of adventure. After a very narrow escape involving a herd of ornery Rhinosoclopses (an ancestor of the Judoon), the doctor decided that enough was enough. He was feeling a bit guilty for putting Rose in harm's way yet again, but to be fair, who could predict the Rhinosoclops migration patterns? Anyhow, the doctor decided it was time for Rose to take a much needed rest.

After conferring with the TARDIS, the doctor punched in the coordinates for the perfect location. "Roooose!" he called excitedly down the corridor.

"I'm comin'…" she grumbled, as she made her way towards the control room. Between the morning sickness and the little bit of weight she had gained, Rose was feeling quite uncomfortable. She wasn't really in the mood for being chased or imprisoned, and was wondering if she might just stay in bed while the doctor went off to explore wherever they had landed.

"C'mon!" the doctor urged eager to show her the new planet. "No running today, cross my hearts!" he promised. Rose sighed in resignation. Sensing her mood, the doctor took his energy down a notch. He held out his arms inviting the slightly round Rose into a hug. He kissed the top of her head. "Only six more months to go…" he said, trying to be positive. Hmph, Rose snorted.

"Might as well be a life time." She responded.

"Well, when you've been around as long as me, it goes by in a flash." The doctor told her.

"Too bad you're not the one who's pregnant." Said Rose raising her eyebrows. The doctor took her hand, kissed it, and then pulled her towards the doors. He threw them open onto a serene meadow dotted with fragrant wild flowers. A cluster of adobe buildings could be seen a little way off.

"Welcome to the planet Balneum III!" the doctor proclaimed. A smile crept onto Rose's face. She had to admit, it looked lovely. "Or as it's more commonly known, the Spa Planet." The doctor expectantly at Rose.

"Why are we on a spa planet?" asked Rose, unsure how to respond.

"Why? Why not!" answered the doctor jovially. "It's a very popular tourist planet. There's a three year wait just to get through customs!" he continued. "Luckily, the psychic paper will take care of that!" the doctor offered his arm to Rose. "Shall we?" he asked.

They followed a little path down through the meadow towards the structures in the distance. It wound around what Rose assumed to be hot springs where bathers were relaxing. Finally they reached the tiled courtyard of the main building. Soft, inviting chaise lounges were strewn here and there, and a simple stone fountain burbled in the center. Several people were enjoying the ambiance in terry cloth robes. Rose looked around, realizing that most of the women here were also pregnant. A warm breeze caused gauzy curtains around the doorway to flutter, revealing the interior reception area. Rose and the doctor walked in.

"Welcome to Madrallios Salon and Spa!" said a woman brightly from behind a desk. "I assume you have a reservation?" she added questioningly.

"Of course." The doctor flashed the psychic paper at her.

"Excellent!" she said. "I see you've chosen our all-inclusive 'Mother-To-Be' package, which, in addition to your accommodations, includes unlimited use of our bathing pools, couples yoga, and your own personal masseuse. Allow me to show you to your room." Rose and the doctor followed her down a plushly carpeted hall and into a medium sized room with warm rust colored walls. "Here we are!" the woman chimed. "Each guest room is fitted with an ergonomic bed, adjustable for full body support, as well as a nourishing cabinet directly connected to our kitchens to satisfy any cravings."

"Wow!" Rose said, impressed.

"Ooooh, does it do banana smoothies?" asked the doctor.

"Yes, Sir, any food item found in this star system can be prepared twenty four hours a day. Simply tell the machine what you desire and it will materialize within the cabinet."

"Fantastic!" the doctor walked over to the machine.

"If you have no further questions…" the woman trailed off.

"Thank you," Rose told her. "We'll let you know."

While the doctor played with the gadgets in the room, Rose plopped down on the bed and flipped through a booklet describing the many treatments available.

"Madrallios Spa, Rejuvenating Pregnant and Incubating Mothers since 2560 apple/j" Rose read aloud. "Doctor, listen to this!" she cried in excitement, "The Yummy Tummy Body Treatment! 'A concentrated serum and deep treatment mask provide your tummy the special attention it needs to moisturize and elasticize your skin.' That sounds lovely, and I bet it cuts down on stretch marks too!"

"Hmm, yes, lovely…" muttered the doctor, absentmindedly. Rose could tell he hadn't been listening, but she couldn't be mad at him after he had brought her here. She got up and strode around to the doctor, who was now crouched down with his head inside the food cabinet. She knelt down behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you for this." She whispered into his ear. She began to kiss along the doctor's cheek and down his jaw line. This got his attention. He turned his face to look at Rose, and she took the opportunity to seize his lips. Things heated up as Rose pushed the doctor to the carpet and lying on top of him she continued to hungrily pillage his mouth. The doctor was a bit caught off guard by this new aggression Rose was exhibiting, but by no means was he complaining. Still, being always concerned for the well-being of his pink and yellow human, he paused the action momentarily to check in.

"What brought this on?" he said smiling, as Rose panted.

"You did." Rose answered simply. "You, being so sweet, bringing me here… I, I love you." She was still hesitant in saying it, sometimes forgetting that declarations of love were now allowed between them. The doctor, wanting to reassure her, cupped her face between his hands.

"And I you." He said firmly, staring into her eyes. "Now where were we?" he licked his lips and grinned shamelessly, causing Rose to blush. "Ah, yes… I remember." said the doctor. He took the lead now, kissing Rose passionately, and then moving down her throat to the precise spot that made her breath hitch. He rolled her over so they were both on their side, bodies entwined. For a few moments the couple simply enjoyed their shared passion. Little sighs and giggles filled the room, until Rose cried out suddenly. The doctor took this a sign his ministrations were having the desired effect. It was from another source entirely though from which Rose's exclamation had been derived.

She sat up quite quickly, and clasped her stomach. The doctor had to shake his head to clear it. Rose wore a funny expression. The doctor let out a breath of relief noting that she did not look to be in pain, as much as bemused, and possibly frightened. "What is it, Love?" he asked, still concerned. Rose didn't respond right away, as if trying to figure out the answer for herself. She tilted her head to one side and stuck her tongue out ever so slightly between her teeth, a pose she often assumed when thinking hard. Unfortunately, the effect this sight had on the doctor wasn't wholly innocent, and he found it hard to concentrate on the question at hand. His mind drifted back to the position he had had Rose in just a moment ago.

"Oh! There it is again…" cried Rose, bringing the doctor out of his fantasy.

"What is it, Rose? Are you in pain?" the doctor demanded.

"No, no, not pain. It's more like a funny fluttery feeling, almost like having the hiccups, but just here." She motioned towards her lower belly. "I think it's the baby." A smile crept onto her face. "Can you feel it, doctor?" Rose asked, placing his hand over her bump. "There! Did you feel that?" The doctor shook his head, a little sadly.

"No, I can't feel it." he told her. "Not yet, anyway. That's not unusual though. Usually only the mother can feel it first. I think on earth they call it quickening. It's just the little chap having a good stretch. Nothing to worry about." he reassured her. Rose's face was positively beaming as she looked down upon her rounded stomach. The doctor watched her with such love and gratitude. This little human, this amazing woman, was becoming the mother to his child. The doctor had never loved or desired Rose more than in this moment. Sorry to break her reverie, but in need of closer contact, he moved to wrap her in his arms again.

"It's stopped now." Rose said quietly, still looking down.

"I imagine it will come and go, from now on." the doctor told her. He began to kiss her neck again, hoping to return to their former activities. Unfortunately for the doctor though, Rose's focus had been turned entirely to baby.

"Oh, doctor, let's go down and look for baby things!" she said excitedly. "I read in the book that there's a boutique here."

"Now?" asked the doctor incredulously. "But I thought we were… well, busy." He gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, doctor…" Rose said, giving him a quick peck. "Can't _that_ wait til later?" The doctor grumbled in frustration, but he couldn't deny his Rose. So in a few moments time off they went, hand in hand in search of something to satisfy Rose's maternal craving. The former shop-girl, the doctor realized, wasn't going to be content with pickles and ice cream. In his mind's eye the doctor saw the TARDIS overtaken by piles of baby-gros, blankets, and the like. This could be a long pregnancy, he thought.


	7. Chapter 7

The doctor reached the TARDIS at last, panting under the weight of the many parcels and shopping bags in his arms. He fumbled for the key, and as he eagerly stepped inside he missed his footing and went tumbling headlong into the ramp. Purchases flew in every direction and the doctor lay in heap on the floor, long limbs sprawling most awkwardly. "I swear I'm getting clumsier with every regeneration!" grumbled the doctor to himself. "Still, if it weren't for all those damn bags…" He looked around at the various items now strewn across the control room of his magnificent time ship, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. He had never thought he would see the day when the TARDIS would be home to cloth nappies and a breast pump! One of Rose's new maternity bras was dangling from the zigzag plotter, and he could hardly see the gravitic-anomolyzer for the baby blanket draped atop of it. He shuddered in spite of himself at the sight. It practically _screamed_ domestic.

What Rose had initially described as a "quick pop down to the giftshop" had clearly gotten out of control. It was all the fault of the _oh so helpful_ manageress who had kindly directed Rose to the downtown shopping district a few miles further into the city. From there on, it was a hopeless situation. The doctor had actually enjoyed the trip at first, cooing right along with Rose over teeny tiny socks and the like. However, by the third or fourth store everything began to look alike. The doctor was captivated by the collection of cuddly toys, many of which resembled species he and Rose had encountered. He spent several happy minutes recreating a battle between the plushy Slitheen and a toy Racnoss, until the fussy, old shopkeeper scolded him. Needless to say, Rose had dragged him away to another store quite quickly after that, apologizing to the unreasonable woman before he could start an argument.

Precisely three hours, forty-one minutes, and fifty-two seconds after this incident, Rose finally conceded defeat and went off for a foot massage and pedicure, leaving the doctor to haul the goods back to the TARDIS for storage. Beginning to gather up the scattered items now, the doctor gave a great sigh. If he was honest with himself, he had thought this whole becoming a father thing was going to be a breeze, but he wasn't as young as he once was. Was he really going to be capable of being a good dad at his age? He was beginning to feel unsure. If nothing else, he decided, it was best to keep these doubts away from Rose. He mustn't worry her with his self-doubt.

The TARDIS whirred and flickered her lights, letting the doctor know that at least she continued to have faith in him. He smiled. It was all a case of mismanaged expectations, the doctor surmised. For such an old man, he had been foolishly immature to assume Rose's pregnancy and parenting would be nothing but rainbows and unicorns. Ooooh, that reminded him, he wanted to ask Rose if they could give the baby a unicorn! When it was older of course, he added mentally, already gearing up for an argument. She hadn't let him keep that horse, but still… perhaps since this time no attractive, French courtesans were involved she would be lenient.

The TARDIS shot a spark from the console in an attempt to bring the doctor back to reality. "Ah, quite right, Old Girl!" the doctor thanked his ship, "Where was I? Oh yes, I was realizing what I fool I am!" he chuckled. Yes, it was definitely a matter of perspective. All the doctor had to do was look at the bright side. So he had had a long, boring day of shopping, he was preparing to receive the best gift he would ever get! Every time something went pear-shaped from now on, he decided, all I have to do is remind myself that being a dad isn't supposed to be easy. I love Rose, I love our baby and that's all that matters. Right! Time to go test out the new strategy, the doctor decided. He scampered from the TARDIS back towards the spa to look for Rose. She had to be done with her pedicure by _now_… how long could a foot rub take?

An hour later the doctor was pacing around the courtyard and grumbling under his breath. Where was she? He had rung her on her cellphone three times, but kept getting her voicemail. The chipper Rose on the message was starting to get on his nerves… "Hiya! This is Rose. Sorry I can't take your call right now. I'm probably off fighting aliens!" the phone Rose giggled at her little joke. "Leave a message, and I'll call you back when I get back to earth!" The loud beep echoed in the doctor's head.

"Damn!" he cursed, causing him to get a few pointed looks from the spa clients who were attempting to lounge in peace. The doctor got the hint and decided to go search for his wayward companion. He wound his way through the spa complex, traveling through gardens, steam pods, and pleasure pools. He finally located Rose in a Zen garden, which was home to a koi pond and weeping willow grove. She was reclining on a mound of cushions under a silk canopy, while her hands and feet were being massaged by a pair of uniformed men. A flare of jealousy suddenly rose in the doctor's chest. Who were these pretty boys touching _his_ Rose? Those ought to be _his_ hands running ever so slowly down her perfect arch. The doctor walked up to the three and cleared his throat loudly. Rose's eyes fluttered open and a smile of pleasant surprise bloomed on her face.

"Doctor!" she said. "I thought we were meeting back at the room?"

"Well, yes. We were. That is until you decided to make an afternoon of it…" he said with a note of disapproval in his voice.

"Oh, sorry!" said Rose. "I thought you might like some time on your own, so I added on a manicure."

"Hmph." said the doctor. "Do all manicures come with two muscular males to do the rubbing?" he raised his eyebrows. Rose blushed.

"Doctor…" she said under her breath, eyeing the two men who were continuing to massage as if they were hearing impaired. The doctor, however, wasn't in a patient mood after the morning's events. He wanted Rose all to himself.

"Alright boys!" he practically shouted at the masseurs. "I'll take it from here." Rose rolled her eyes at the doctor, and she thanked the men for their time. She was not very pleased with the doctor's rude dismissal of the staff. She was somewhat appeased however to see him tip the men well as he ushered them away. At least he wasn't being too rude. Rose stretched and was about to rise from her bed of cushions, when the doctor put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back down. "Where do you think you're going, Miss Tyler?" he said with a wicked glint in his eye.

"Err.." Rose stammered, not sure how to take the quick turnaround of the situation.

"I said I can take it from here…" the doctor reminded her, his voice deep and sultry. He lowered himself to the cushion at Rose's feet and took her ankle between his hands. His long fingers stroked her calk lightly at first, and then with a symphony of different pressures. A groan of enjoyment escaped Rose's lips. The doctor's mouth curved up in a grin. He moved to the other calf. After a moment of working the tension out of Rose's ankles, he moved down to her sensitive feet. Her toes had just been polished in a petal pink, which echoed the flush of pleasure that was coloring her cheeks. This was a moment that the doctor had fantasized about. Perhaps it would be considered strange by earth standards, but he felt a keen yearning to caress his lover's feet. He wanted, no needed, to worship every inch of Rose Tyler, and her feet were no exception. He marveled at their simultaneously delicate and resilient form. It was with these feet that Rose had run alongside the doctor so many times. He couldn't help but love them.

As the doctor ran the pad of his thumb over Rose's instep, he heard her breath hitch. "Ticklish, are we?" he grinned at her. The doctor repeated the motion. Rose squirmed a little under his ministrations. The stimulation and intensity of this massage had proved quite the opposite of relaxing for Rose. In fact, she felt a coil of pure want winding tight within her. The next thing the doctor did surprised Rose so much that she sat bolt upright. He had lowered his head to her foot and actually licked the length of her arch.

"Doctor!" she gasped. He looked up at Rose but didn't say a word. He repeated the action on the other foot. The cool breeze tickled the wetness his tongue had left behind causing Rose to shiver. In response, the doctor covered the spot with his warm mouth. Rose didn't know what to think, so she gave in to the feelings of the moment. The doctor established a pattern of kissing and licking her from her little toe all the way up to the hollow behind her knee. He moved back and forth between each leg, concentrating as if he were making a map of Rose's flesh. She was nearly breathless at this point. "Doctor…" she said again. "We're practically in public." Rose tried to interject some reason into the situation.

"Don't care." the doctor answered succinctly, as he began to knead Rose's left thigh.

"Can't…do…this…here…" Rose panted out.

"Why not?" whined the doctor.

"'Cause." was the best response Rose's brain could muster. Just then the sound of a gong rang out and a cool, female voice was broadcast from an invisible speaker system.

"Spa guests are now invited to participate in pre-natal yoga for couples, which will begin in the east butterfly garden in ten minutes. Thank you." said the voice. This announcement prompted a flurry of activity as patrons rushed to get the best spots. As people began to move nearer their once secluded massage pavilion, the doctor hastily stood and re-arranged Rose's robe to cover her. Despite his previous protestations, he really didn't want to expose or embarrass Rose. He held out his hand and pulled her up.

"Back to the room?" the doctor asked, hoping to continue his explorations of Rose. He was surprised to see Rose frown at his suggestion, as he had thought she was enjoying herself too. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." responded Rose unconvincingly. He raised that cynical eyebrow at her. "Well… except I was really looking forward to the couples yoga." She admitted. "I thought we might give it a go?" The doctor hesitated. He tried not to think about what his ninth self would have made of _couples yoga_, or the high council of the Time Lords either for that matter. It definitely wouldn't do much for his pride, but if Rose wanted him to… The doctor considered the health benefits of stretching for his human companion, and ultimately gave in. He would do anything to make sure Rose and the baby were healthy and happy.

"Alright." he said at last.

"Really? You mean you'll do it with me?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Yep." answered the doctor, popping the p. "Pre-natal couples yoga in the butterfly garden, here we come!"


	8. Chapter 8

**So, thanks to you lovely, vigilant readers this chapter has been updated. I forgot that Jack wouldn't have recognized the tenth doctor! Whoops! Sorry about that. Also, just FYI the One-Legged King Pigeon pose is actually a real yoga pose...go figure.  
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"Aren't you ready yet, Doctor?" called Rose through the changing room door. It was rare indeed for Rose to find herself waiting for the doctor to get dressed. Usually it was the other way around. Then again, he did always wear the same suit so it really wasn't a fair comparison. When he had agreed to participate in yoga, the doctor had expected to wear this same suit, and was alarmed to find that there was a dress code. Luckily, there was a self-selecting wardrobe in the changing room to provide him with the appropriate attire. Unluckily, that attire seemed to be designed to make the doctor look ridiculous, he thought. "Doctor, what are you doing in there?" called Rose. "We're going to be late!"

"Rose," the doctor responded in a strangled voice. "I can't come out like this…" Rose rolled her eyes, and tried to stifle a giggle.

"Doctor, I'm sure you look fine." she told him through the door. "Just come out and let me see. I promise I won't make you go if you look ridiculous."

"Alright, but you can't laugh!" insisted the doctor.

"I won't laugh. Cross my heart!" said Rose, smiling. The door swung open and the doctor stepped out. Rose's jaw dropped. Laughing was the last thing on her mind. The doctor was wearing a pair of dark brown, lycra pants that hugged his sinewy legs, ending just below his knee. His feet were bare, and he wiggled his toes, feeling awkward outside of his Chuck Taylor's. On top he wore a thin cotton tee-shirt in TARDIS blue. His body wasn't overly muscular, but Rose could see the strength in his arms and chest.

"Blimey, Doctor! You look…" she took a breath. "well, hot." The doctor let out a snort.

"I thought you were going to be honest." he reminded her.

"You want honesty, do you?" The doctor nodded. "Well honestly, seeing you in that outfit makes me want to skip yoga and shag you right here." Rose gave him a smoldering look.

"Really?" asked the doctor, puzzled but no longer embarrassed.

"Really." answered Rose darkly. The doctor looked over at the mirror and preened.

"Well, you _can_ see my manly, hairy legs in this getup." The doctor said gleefully. "You like my manly, hairy legs, don't you Rose?" the doctor asked salaciously. He waggled his eyebrows at her. Rose just nodded, lost in a haze as she watched the doctor's body move. He was tempted to take advantage of this and steer her back to the room, escaping yoga and satisfying his need for her in one go. However, the doctor thought back to Rose's excitement when yoga was announced and knew he couldn't trick her out of it, no matter how much he was dreading the class. "C'mon, Rose, get your mind out of the gutter! We've got to go center our chi or whatever it is…" the doctor said. "Although, all things considered, I don't mind your mind in the gutter, really. I'd be perfectly happy with it in the gutter all of the time, actually, come to think of it." The doctor rambled. Rose laughed and smacked him playfully on the arm. He grabbed her hand, kissed it quickly, and then led her outside.

The twin suns shone brightly warming the lush flora of the butterfly garden. It was planted thickly with enormous flowers native to the planet, and Rose quickly realized that the blossoms were attracting butterflies. The butterfly garden lived up to its name and then some. Rose had been expecting a few standard earth butterflies if any to be fluttering around, so she was quite delighted to find the massive, jewel-bright creatures overhead.

"They're huge!" she exclaimed.

"'Course they are!" responded the doctor. "Didn't a mention the famous Balneum Butterflies?" Rose shook her head. "No? Oh, well they're quite the tourist attraction. No need to worry, they're gentle giants. They can be quite skittish actually…" the doctor trailed off. Rose had moved further in, and was now gently stroking the jade colored wing of a butterfly perched on what looked to be a tulip the size of a bowling ball. The doctor stepped closer to Rose, surprised at the passivity of the giant insect. The doctor reached out and suddenly, with a great flapping of wings, the butterfly took off.

"Aw, you scared him!" Rose scolded the doctor.

"Sorry." he said with a shrug. "Looks like you've got a way with them though. Normally they won't have much to do with humans." The doctor smiled. His little human never stopped surprising him with her hidden talents.

The gong sounded again, and people began to assemble in a clearing at the other end of the garden. Rose and the doctor walked over to find a spot.

"Doctor, I don't have a yoga mat." remembered Rose suddenly.

"No need! They're already here." the doctor pointed to a row of dark green rectangles that seemed to be growing out of the earth itself. Rose walked over to one and tested it with her foot.

"But how…?" she began to ask.

"It's a special type of Balneum grass." explained the doctor. "It's particularly springy, so they weave it into mats as it grows."

"Nice." Rose said approvingly now sitting down and bouncing slightly. The doctor chose the mat right behind her, just in case Rose lost her balance and fell, he'd be there to catch her. The class was beginning to fill up. People and aliens of all variety wandered in, some obviously pregnant and some who Rose had no idea where they even carried their babies. The man who seemed to be the instructor had his back turned to the class and was deep in conversation with a young couple with pale blue skin. Rose caught bits of the exchange.

"I had a lot of fun too, Mr. and Mrs. Novak….Yes, lovely, let's do it again sometime…Good luck with the birth!" The voice was strangely familiar. The blue couple sat down and the instructor turned to face the class.

"Welcome, one and all, to Couples Pre-Natal Yoga. My name is Jack and I will be your instructor today. Please silence all communication devices and… Oh my God, _Rose Tyler_!" Captain Jack Harkness, long lost companion, and now yoga instructor, shrieked in shock at finding the doctor in one of his classes. "Rose! Is it really you?" Forgetting his professional duties, Jack ran over to Rose and engulfed her in a hug. He pulled back and his eyes dropped to her growing belly. "You're not? But…but…" Jack stammered, lost for words. Rose had tears in her eyes.

"I thought you were dead!" she practically shouted. "You died on Sattelite Five! How can you be here?"

"How can I be here! How can _you_ be here?" Jack found his voice again. "The doctor sent you home. We all thought we were goners, but then the doctor saved the day. He must have destroyed the Daleks somehow. I don't know what happened, but he left me. I got shot, and when I woke up the Daleks were gone and so was the Doctor." Jack looked hurt. Rose looked to the doctor, expectantly.

"Hello, Jack." said the doctor, puzzled curiosity in his eyes.

"That's it? That's all you're gonna say? Hello, Jack!" Rose was incensed. How could the doctor have kept this from her.

"Wait, hold the phone!" Jack interrupted. "Doctor? How can _he_ be the doctor? Where's my doctor? You know the one in the leather jacket? Rose what's going on?" Rose took a deep breath before answering.

"Well, it's all kinda complicated, but the long and short of it is that the old doctor died to save me." Jack looked devastated. "Well, not the whole of him, I mean just his body died, really. He regenerated and got a new face." Rose paused, waiting Jack to react, but the doctor couldn't help interjecting.

"See!" he pointed to himself, gleefully. "New face, same man! It's still me, just like Rose said." Jack looked from Rose to the doctor, then back at Rose.

"Okay, so it is you." said Jack, still frowning. "But you left me on satellite five, and how did you possibly escape the daleks? You didn't even have the TARDIS!"

"Well…" the doctor gestured to the rest of the class who were all staring wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before them.

"I want answers, Doctor." Insisted Jack.

"Fine. You'll get them, but aren't you supposed to be instructing us now?" He raised his eyebrow. "Look, I promise we'll get this sorted. We can all sit down for a cuppa right after class, but as far as I see it, you've got a job to do and I didn't put on these clothes for nothing!" Rose and Jack both softened. They couldn't help but laugh at the doctor's logic.

"Alright, Doctor." acquiesced Rose. "We'll do the yoga, but afterwards you've got some explaining to do." Jack nodded in emphasis, and then somewhat reluctantly resumed his place at the front of the class.

"Well, that's one way to begin a yoga session!" he announced jovially to the group. "I don't know about you all, but I prefer deep breathing if I'm honest." Many people laughed at this, and the atmosphere began to relax. In good humor, Jack led the class through a series of simple warm-up poses which Rose and the doctor managed easily. In fact, the doctor was starting to feel quite chuffed with himself. This yoga lark was absolutely easy! The doctor yawned dramatically.

"Oh, give us something challenging!" he heckled Jack. Rose rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Doctor!" Jack responded, "I'm sure with your Time Lord phsysique you'll manage this pose easily." Jack got down onto his own mat, stretching and bending himself into an impressive pose where his foot touched the crown of his head. "It's called the One-Legged King Pigeon pose." Jack said straightening up. "Or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, if you like."

"You made that up!" shouted the doctor, now regretting his previous boldness.

"Nope, it's real!" Jack laughed. "Here, take a look." Jack showed the doctor a page in his instructor's manual.

"Fine. Easy. No problem." exclaimed the doctor confidently. He then proceeded to attempt a backbend while shooting his lanky legs in opposite directions. "Grmmph, erhg, ooph." the doctor struggled. He stretched further, nearly closing the gap between his foot and ruffled hair, and toppled over. He rolled off the mat, and landed in heap. Rose laughed, and helped him right himself. The doctor grumbled something unintelligible in his embarrassment.

"Now, if we're done with showing off, the focus of this class is using yoga to connect with your partner and baby." Jack told the group. "These next few poses will integrate tradition yoga and stretches to relieve stress on the pregnant body. These can be useful in labor, so pay attention partners!" Jack directed the couples to move together. The doctor helped Rose stretch each leg, while on her hands and knees. He held her arms while she moved into a squat. He supported her knee as she lay on her side. Finally the partners were instructed to sit behind the mothers and support the belly, while the mothers reclined into the partner's arms. The doctor especially enjoyed this as it gave him an excuse to hold Rose close. She turned her face and beamed at him as he cradled her baby bump. Jack had been weaving his way around the couples, adjusting people and offering pointers. He stopped when he reached the doctor and Rose.

"Good job, Dad." Jack told the Doctor, slightly shaking his head in disbelief. He could hardly comprehend that this was the same man he had met during the blitz. The doctor must have done more than resonate concrete to get Rose in this condition. Jack grinned. His mind was always in the gutter.

The class ended and Jack made small talk with the other spa guests for a few minutes while everyone sipped Balneum mineral water. He had not forgotten the doctor's promise to provide him with answers, however, and freed himself as soon as was polite.

"How about that tea, Doctor?" Jack asked his tone meaningful.

"Yeah, I 'spose we should. Alright Rose?" the doctor asked. She nodded.

"I'll lead the way," said Jack, "There's a great little tea room at the north end of the complex, right near the gift shop!" The doctor groaned inwardly, hoping Rose hadn't picked up on that last bit.


	9. Chapter 9

**Let me know what you think of this chapter. I will try to update soon. Thanks for reading!**

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Over tea the doctor did his best to explain all that need explaining to his two less-than-pleased companions. He owed apologies all around really. He had left Jack stranded, and had never told Rose the truth about her own actions as the bad wolf. Honestly, the doctor had been afraid. So many things had terrified him in those moments on the games station, but his former, big-eared self would never have admitted it. He was, of course, scared of the Dalek fleet. That was only natural. But he was also quite scared of his own feelings. He had never loved a companion the way he did Rose, and when she had been taken to the Dalek ship, well, the oncoming storm was well and truly unleashed.

He had tried to send her home, for her own protection, yes, but also to protect himself as he realized the depth of his feelings for Rose. When she came back, glowing with the strength of the vortex which she had consumed, the doctor was awed and frightened. How could this small human have so much power? Rose had long been master of the doctor's hearts, but now she controlled the universe as well. She destroyed the Daleks, and brought Jack back from the dead. That was the point when the doctor realized how rare and beautiful Rose truly was. Given total control of the universe, she chose to selflessly save others, to save him.

The doctor knew then that he was desperately in love with Rose Tyler, and would be for all eternity. He didn't hesitate to give up his life to save her, and how perfectly fitting that he should do it with a kiss. Although he knew that Jack was alive, the doctor was too overwhelmed with his own regeneration to tell Rose at the time. He was still fearful of the power used to save Jack, and, like always, the doctor ran. He took Rose and ran away, leaving Jack stranded.

It wasn't the doctor's kindest decision to abandon his friend, but given all that had taken place on satellite five, he just couldn't handle one more complication. From their adventures together, the doctor knew that Jack was tough and clever. He knew that Jack would find a way to make a new life for himself, although becoming a yoga instructor on Balneum III wasn't what the doctor had imagined. Despite the traumas undergone by all three, Rose, Jack, and the doctor were all living happy and fulfilling lives now. In the joy of being reunited, Rose and Jack finally forgave the doctor for his behavior.

Now that the big questions had been answered, Jack and Rose got down to talking about the baby. Although many things the doctor had just told him were surprising, the one thing Jack was not surprised to hear was that Rose and the doctor were a couple.

"But, you mean, you guessed that we were going to get together?" Rose asked wonderingly.

"Guessed? It was obvious!" laughed Jack. "C'mon, I knew ever since I teleported you guys into my old Chula ship. You definitely weren't just _talking_ about dancing!" He grinned mischievously. "And clearly, you've been doing some fancy footwork, Doctor…" he winked and motioned to Rose's belly. Rose giggled. "Now the baby was a surprise, I'll grant you." continued Jack. "I never knew Time Lords and humans could, well… breed." He finished awkwardly. He hadn't meant to sound so clinical when describing his friends, but Rose just laughed.

"Yeah, we didn't either!" she snorted. "This little one was quite the surprise for us as well." She patted her tummy lovingly.

"A good surprise, though." interjected the doctor.

"Yeah, a good surprise." Rose nodded happily in agreement. Jack was thrilled to see that this new doctor was so much freer with his emotions. He suspected Rose had something to do with that.

Having lived and worked at Madrallios Spa for more than a year, Jack knew all the insider tips about the best services and even a lot about pregnancy in general.

"So what else have you got planned while you're here?" Jack asked.

"We don't really have much of a plan, do we?" Rose looked to the doctor, who shrugged.

"Nah, you know me. Not much of a planner. Just go where the wind takes me, I do. Or where the TARDIS takes me rather."

"Well," said Jack dramatically. "You have _got_ to have a blessingway while you're here!" he told Rose.

"What's that?" she asked. The doctor looked apprehensive.

"Oh, it's fabulous! It's a ceremony they do on this planet, and on some others too come to think of it. Anyway, it's all about rejoicing and honoring you, as a mother to be." Jack explained.

"But what do you actually do in this ceremony?" the doctor asked skeptically.

"Well, people do all sorts of things really." Jack continued. "Usually the mother is decorated somehow, with paints or garlands. Sometimes there's singing or praying. Oooh, and a lot of people decide to have a cast made of the mother's belly to celebrate the female form during pregnancy."

"Err, I'm not sure I need this body to be commemorated in a lasting piece of art…" Rose said.

"Oh, I dunno…" replied the doctor. "I quite like your body these days. Wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of it, to be honest." Rose blushed, but smiled.

"I'm with the Doc' on this one." said Jack. "Pregnancy suits you, Rose. You're practically glowing." Rose shook her head humbly. "Go on, have a blessingway!" Jack urged. "You'll love it. I promise."

"Oh, all right then." Rose gave in.

"Excellent, I'll set it up tomorrow!" said Jack. "But in the meantime, we're going dancing!" The doctor spit out his tea.

"Wwwhat? Come again?" he spluttered.

"You heard me, Doctor! Time to put on those dancing shoes!" Jack cackled. "But seriously, there's a great club downtown that only the staff know about. Guests aren't normally allowed, but I can get you in. The bouncer owes me a favor. There was a little misunderstanding between a Sontaran and three Draconian High Priests…long story. Anyway, there won't be a problem!" he told them brightly.

"Hmph, I could get myself in, thanks very much!" said the doctor, offended. "That is if I wanted to get in, which I don't." he added.

"Oh, c'mon Doctor!" pleaded Rose. "We haven't been out in ages!" The doctor sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"That's fine," Jack told the doctor. "Rose and I can go together, and you can stay in the TARDIS twiddling your thumbs…" he trailed off innocently.

"Hold on a tic!" exclaimed the doctor. "You're not taking Rose to some seedy club all alone!"

"Oh, well in that case, I guess you'll have to come with us, won't you?" said Jack lightly.

"He's got you there, Doctor." Rose pointed out, grinning.

"Oh alright, we'll go dancing! But we're not staying out late, Rose needs her rest."

"Yes sir!" Jack saluted the doctor in jest.

"Oh I can't wait!" exclaimed Rose. "But I have nothing to wear!" she realized. "I've grown too big for all of my clubbing outfits."

"I think we can remedy that problem!" Jack told her. "There's a shop right next door."

"Oh no," The doctor interrupted. "Not shopping _and_ dancing! You get one or the other from me."

"You don't have to come, Doctor." Jack relented. "We'll meet you back at the main complex in an hour or two."

"Are you sure?" The doctor asked, mainly addressing Rose.

"Yeah, go on." She said. "I'm sure you could use a break." The doctor smiled and stood up. He planted a quick kiss on the top of Rose's head and with a quiet "love you" he was off like a shot.


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter took a turn for the lemon-y, so I apologize if you don't like it. Please review :) Thanks!**

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When the doctor returned from tinkering in the TARDIS he spotted Rose and Jack waiting near the concierge desk. He was instantly glad that Rose and Jack had insisted on shopping. Rose was drop dead gorgeous in her new dress, which seemed to be made of tissue-thin layers of translucent black silk. She looked like a present to be opened, and the doctor imagined himself slowly peeling back her delicate wrappings.

"Hellooo! Earth to Doctor!" said Jack who had somehow materialized by his side. Rose giggled.

"You look lovely." The doctor said.

"Why, thank you!" Jack responded cheekily. "You're not half-bad yourself."

"I was talking to _Rose_." The doctor gave Jack a look of consternation.

"Well! I see how it is." huffed Jack in mock offense.

"You look lovely too, Jack." said Rose in a mollifying voice.

"I'm glad to see _somebody_ appreciates me!" exclaimed Jack, raising his eyebrows at the doctor.

"Alright, fine. You're both absolutely _gorgeous_, and I'm sure no aliens will be able to keep their tentacles off you, Jack!" said the doctor. "Happy?" he asked. Jack grinned. "Good. Then allons-y!"

Jack led them to the monorail station and onto a train, which led them into the heart of the city. They followed him as he navigated the bustling streets until he stopped abruptly at what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. In response to the questioning looks from Rose and the doctor, Jack reached down and tapped a brick in the wall three times. As soon as he had finished, the brick dissolved and in its place was a small speaker. A tiny voice rang out.

"State your name." it said.

"Captain Jack Harkness and guests." Said Jack brightly into the intercom. A door slid open revealing a dank staircase lit by a naked bulb.

"Err, are you sure we should go down there?" Rose asked Jack.

"Of course! How else are we going to get into the club, silly!" Jack shook his head at her. With some trepidation Rose and the doctor followed Jack down the staircase. The door slid shut behind them. They were a ways underground now, and a booming base beat could be heard as they neared the entrance. The group arrived at a wall of heavy red curtains. Standing in front of this was the bouncer who looked like a human, but with the head of a shark.

"Selachii" the doctor whispered to Rose, naming the species as he often did when they came upon new creatures.

"Oh it's you." Said the Selachii in a deep, bored voice.

"Yes, it's me!" proclaimed Jack brightly.

"And who are these _guests_ of yours?" he said the word 'guests' as if it were a polite euphemism for something distasteful.

"This is Rose and the doctor." Jack introduced them, but was starting become annoyed with the shark-man's gruffness. "What's the hold up?"

"They are not on the list." answered the Selachii, a hint of pleasure creeping into his voice.

"And…" Jack prompted him.

"And they can't come in!" the bouncer grinned, showing his many rows of pointed teeth.

"Need I remind you of a certain potato shaped friend of yours…" Jack trailed off meaningfully.

"So, what does that have to do with anything?" the Selachii demanded defensively.

"Don't play coy with me!" said Jack. "If what I caught you two doing with those priests were to get out, you'd be the laughing stock of the planet, and lose your job to boot!" he shouted.

"Keep your voice down!" said the guard in an insistent whisper.

"My friends and I would like to go dancing now, and if you don't step aside you're going to be in for a whole world of trouble…" Jack threatened.

"Now, Jack, there's no need…" began the doctor, but he was interrupted by the Selachii guard.

"Fine." He said gruffly. "You and your little friends go right in, but don't expect me to be so nice next time, Harkness." He pulled back the curtain. Jack merely laughed and beckoned for Rose and the doctor to follow him through.

"If I were you," said the doctor, "I wouldn't be provoking characters like that."

"Aww, he's all bark and no bite!" Jack shouted to the doctor, trying to talk over the music.

"I should hope so." muttered Rose. "I wouldn't fancy a bite from him."

The club was dark and noisy, crowded with many species. In the air hung clouds of multi-colored smoke and lights twinkled on the ceiling. The dance floor was a blaze of color and movement as bodies ground and twisted together to the throbbing pulse of the music. It wasn't really the doctor's scene, but Rose and Jack looked practically invigorated to be here. Perhaps it was just his age showing, but the doctor would have much rather have gone to a regency ball than this modern club. There was far too much physical contact which left no room for flirting or intrigue. Although, he looked at Rose's silhouetted form, perhaps he could reconsider just for tonight. Jack's voice broke into the doctor's reverie.

"Shall we?" he asked Rose, extending his hand.

"Oooh yeah!" agreed Rose enthusiastically. "You don't mind, do you Doctor?" she asked. He just waved them on their way. Ah well, he'd let Jack have the first crack at dancing with Rose. Surely there would be plenty of time for the two of them later.

After a few songs, Rose and Jack returned to find the doctor leaning against the log bar with a fanciful looking drink in his hand. He smiled at them.

"What've you got there, Doctor?" Jack asked.

"Banana Daiquiri, of course! Best drink there is." The doctor told him.

"Mmmm…" said Rose longingly.

"Ah, ah, ah, none for you, Miss Tyler." the doctor chided her playfully. She made a face at him. "I'll get you a Shirley Temple." the doctor raised his hand to summon the Ood who was tending the bar.

"One for me too!" called Jack. Rose eyed him curiously. "What?" he asked. "I love those things!" He gave her a winning smile, and Rose laughed.

The evening went by quickly as Rose traded dances with Jack and the doctor. A slow and sultry number began to play, and the doctor pulled her in close. Jack was getting friendly with a Hath nearby. After his third daiquiri the doctor was having a harder time controlling his ungentlemanly feelings towards Rose. Many pretty boys had approached her throughout the night, although all were disappointed as Rose brushed them aside. Even so, the doctor felt the need to re-assert his claim of her.

"Do you know how sexy you are?" he asked Rose in a husky whisper. She blushed, unused to hearing the doctor speak this way in public. "All the men in the room have been watching you all night." he continued. "You could have anyone here."

"Don't want anyone," Rose whispered back. "Just you."

"Good." the doctor told her. "Because you're mine." This kind of overt possessiveness was rare in the doctor, although there was always and undercurrent of it in their day to day life. To hear him speak this words now thrilled Rose. She knew he didn't mean it in a controlling way, and she wanted to give herself freely to the man she loved. She swallowed hard and nodded in response.

The doctor tightened his hold on her, letting his hands roam over the slippery fabric covering her back and bum. She snuggled into him and pressed a kiss to his throat.

"I need to get you alone, my Rose." the doctor said. Their romantic interludes had been put off by circumstance lately, but the doctor would bear no interruptions tonight. Rose pursed her lips and hummed in agreement, her heart rate increasing. As the song came to an end, the doctor took her hand intending to lead her back to the hotel.

"But, Jack…" Rose said, not wanting to abandon their friend. They both looked over to where Jack was dancing salaciously with the Hath. The doctor smiled and shook his head.

"I don't think he'll miss us." He told Rose, with a grin. Jack looked up, and saw the doctor and Rose standing there. He figured they would want to go, and he wasn't about to leave his new friend, so he waved them off with a wink and went back to dancing.

"Oh," laughed Rose. "All right then, as long as he's happy." The doctor led Rose back through the streets to the monorail station and towards the hotel. Rose's feet were hurting and she wondered if the doctor might give her another foot massage. But first, she decided, there were more important things to attend to…


	11. Chapter 11

**This is just a short chapter, sorry, but I will post another, longer chapter soon. Thanks again for sticking with me this far!**

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Rose was dressed in traditional Balneum garb for the blessingway. The outfit consisted of a flowing skirt and a wide band of ruby silk wrapped over Rose's chest, leaving her abdomen totally exposed. Her hair, which had grown both longer and thicker during the pregnancy, was loose around her bare shoulders. Neither the doctor nor Jack would be present at the ceremony, as only women were allowed into the sacred space. Rose walked hesitantly towards a large, throne-like chair that was reserved for her. She felt a bit awkward being the center of attention.

"Welcome to your Mother Blessing!" a smiling, Blaneum woman with deep brown eyes greeted Rose as she approached the seat. Her expression was kind and forgiving, and Rose immediately felt more relaxed. "My name is Leniat. I will be guiding you through the ceremony. Please, allow me to adorn you." Leniat bent forward to place a crown of flowers onto Rose's head, and then kissed Rose gently on each cheek.

"Thanks." said Rose.

"You are most welcome." Leniat gave a small bow. "At this time it is traditional for the musicians to honor the divine feminine, and the live-giving force you have brought here." She gestured to three veiled women who moved forward and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Rose. Two of the women carried instruments, one a harp and the other a small drum. The third woman opened her mouth and began to sing an ethereal tune. Although the TARDIS normally translated all alien languages, Rose could not understand the words of the song. Perhaps they were not words at all, but otherworldly sounds that expressed pure emotion without meaning. The melody seemed to tell the story of all mothers, both the pain and the fierce joy of bringing forth a child rang out from the harp. At first Rose thought she would cry, but then the tune would change and make her want to laugh. The last strains of music lingered in the sacred chamber as the three women stood and bowed to Rose. She wanted to clap, but was unsure of the etiquette. Instead she simply nodded her thanks to the musicians.

"Next we will make the cast, to record your blessed form." announced Leniat. Two more women appeared bearing large bowls, one full of water and sweet smelling herbs, the other with strips of cloth. The woman on the right dipped a soft sponge into the water and began bathing Rose's belly. "First we must cleanse the skin, to ensure a proper mold." explained Leniat.

"Oh, right." said Rose, thankful for the woman's guidance. After she was clean and patted dry, the second woman indicated that Rose should stand. Once upright, Rose's entire middle was wrapped in overlapping strips of the cloth. The feeling was cool, and not unpleasant as a pale green paste was spread over the layer of bandages.

"The plaster will dry in a moment." Leniat assured Rose. While they were waiting, the women cleared away the bowls and then lit candles, all the while humming softly. The atmosphere was very peaceful and Rose was beginning to feel drowsy. Soon the casing around her belly had hardened and the woman who had washed her carefully snipped the cast open and pulled it from her body. Rose wriggled, stretching now that she could move again.

"All that remains in the ceremony is the sacred painting." Leniat said.

"Er, the painting?" said Rose questioningly.

"We paint a design of love and protection onto the mother and child, using the dye of a local plant." Leniat told her. "The pattern will fade after a few days, but if you do not wish to be painted…"

"No, no s'fine" Rose interrupted, figuring she could use all the protection she could get.

"If you are sure," Leniat looked at Rose, wanting to make sure her charge was comfortable, "Then we will proceed." She motioned for the two women who had done the casting to return. Now each carried a small bowl full of brownish-red paste and paint brushes. While the artists worked, marking Rose's bump with intricate swirls, four dancers came forth and performed. When the dance was over, Rose looked down to find her belly beautifully decorated.

"We close the blessingway with this gift to you." Leniat handing Rose a small, purple box.

"Oh, well, thanks!" said Rose, surprised. All of the musicians, artists, and dancers had returned and stood in a circle surrounding Rose as she opened her present. Rose lifted string of glowing beads from the box, and looked puzzled.

"When laboring to bring forth this child, you may focus your energy upon these beads and the pain will be lessened." Explained Leniat in response to Rose's confused expression.

"Wow" Rose said, reverently. She looked up at Leniat. "Thank you, thank you all." Rose told the assembled group of women. They all bowed in unison, and clasping hands, murmured one last prayer for the mother to be.


	12. Chapter 12

**I apologize for not posting in so long, I just wasn't feeling the muse and I didn't want to write crappy stuff for Rose and the Doctor, because I love them so much! I love you all too, and I hope you'll forgive me for taking a break. I hope to start posting more regularly again after this. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and what you'd like to see happen at the baby shower! Thanks!**

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Their two-week stay on Balneum III had been lovely. Rose had thoroughly enjoyed her many spa treatments, but the highlight was reuniting with Jack. The yoga, the blessingway, the dancing, the shopping, it had all been fantastic, but like the doctor, Rose was a traveler and always ready for the next adventure. In this spirit, they couple had decided it was time to go. Once the doctor had loaded up the TARDIS with their many souvenirs, he and Rose went to find Jack for what was sure to be a tearful farewell. They met him under a Roman style colonnade, near the butterfly garden just after he had finished a class.

"Doctor! Rose! I wasn't expecting to see you here." Jack said.

"Well, here we are." said the doctor, stating the obvious.

"We wanted to say goodbye." Rose told him, her lip beginning to tremble. Jack stared at the two. "Jack, did you hear me? We're going." said Rose.

"Ohhh no!" said Jack, finally. "Not this time, not again."

"Eh?" said the doctor, not understanding.

"You're not leaving me behind this time, Doctor!" Jack answered. "You two stay right there!" said Jack quickly. "Don't move!" he called back over his shoulder as he suddenly sprinted away.

"What was that about, then?" a puzzled doctor asked Rose.

"M'not sure," she said, "I don't think he wants us to leave." A few moments of silence passed.

"How long are we supposed to be 'not moving' for again?" the doctor asked. Just then, a winded Jack jogged back to the pair.

"Whew" he gasped, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I've got it all sorted." He managed to pant out.

"Errr, what's all sorted, Jack?" Rose asked.

"I can come!" he exclaimed.

"Come where?" asked the doctor.

"Come with you, of course!" Both the Doctor and Rose's jaws dropped. They hadn't really anticipated having a third companion, what with their new relationship, the baby, and everything.

"Well…" prompted Jack.

"You want to come with us? As in, traveling time and space in the TARDIS?" asked the doctor, wanting to be clear.

"Of course!" insisted Jack. He looked from the doctor to Rose and back again. "Oh wait a minute," he said, starting to understand. "I get it. You don't want some third wheel cramping your style. Now that everything's all lovey-dovey, it's the Doctor and Rose show twenty-four hours a day."

"Well, not to nitpick, but really very few planets have a twenty-four hour day, just Earth and handful of others." The doctor interrupted. Both Rose and Jack glared at him, and he raised his arms in surrender. "Sorry, not the time." he amended.

"Sorry Jack." said Rose, her voice genuine. "We've just got used to being on our own, and you surprised us. Of course we want you to come. You're part of team TARDIS!"

"You got that right!" said Jack huffily.

"We really do want you, Jack." insisted Rose. "Don't we Doctor?" she nudged him.

"What? Oh, yes, right, of course we want you to come with us Jack!" said the doctor who had gotten distracted by a particularly colorful butterfly. "In fact, to prove it to you, here's a key to the TARDIS, about time you had one anyway." The doctor passed him a shiny key that felt warm to the touch.

"You mean it, Doctor? I really get a key?" a smile spread across Jack's face.

"'Course you do!" Rose answered before the doctor could say more.

"But Jack," began the doctor in a warning tone, "that doesn't mean you can bring all your dates round…"

"No fair!" Jack protested. "Then I'll be the only one not getting any action! Why do you get shag in the TARDIS and not me?" he demanded.

"Driver's privilege" the doctor stated simply with a smirk on his lips.

"Oh I see," said Jack sarcastically, "If the TARDIS is 'a rockin' don't come 'a knockin'."

"You said it, not me." replied the doctor. Rose smacked him playfully on the arm.

"There'll be no shagging for anybody if we don't get going!" she told the boys. "We promised Mum I'd be home for my baby shower, and at this rate I'll have had the kid before we get there."

"Oooh, I'd love to meet your mum!" said Jack excitedly.

"That's what you think…" muttered the doctor under his breath, which earned him another smack.

The doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and into a world of nightmares. Many times he had swung open those blue doors to reveal the unexpected and often unpleasant, but this might just be the scariest situation he had ever found himself in. His eyes watered at the brightly colored avalanche of pink and blue crepe paper, baby booties, ribbons, and rattles. From somewhere inside this garish conglomeration emerged a very excited Jackie Tyler.

"You're here! Pete she's here! Where is she? Where's my daughter, then?" Jackie squealed in one breath. She pushed the doctor aside sticking her head into the TARDIS. "Roooose? Rose!" Jackie exclaimed.

"I'm right here Mum!" Shouted Rose as she waddled her way out of the blue box, Jack trailing behind her. They had meant to arrive sooner. The doctor swore that he had entered the coordinates for Pete's world upon leaving Balneum III, but somehow they had ended up in a rather sticky situation on a planet called Trogg. In this case it was literally a sticky situation as the planet was inhabited by massive slugs that exuded a highly adhesive slime for locomotion. Upon landing the TARDIS had become lodged in the stuff and was unable to take off until the doctor surmised a way to rewire the heating system to melt off the goop. The whole process had taken almost a month, and Rose's body had seemed to blossom in this time. Though there were still four months left until the birth, Rose now looked about seven months into the average human pregnancy.

"You look like you're about to pop!" wailed Jackie, right next to the doctor's ear.

"She's not." said the doctor curtly, "But I think you've just popped my eardrum." he grimaced. Jackie just waved this off.

"How long have you been away?" Jackie demanded.

"Really Mum, it's just been a couple of months since we last saw you. There's still plenty of time before this one arrives." She rubbed her protruding stomach. Jackie lent down and placed a hand on each side of Rose's belly.

"Hello, little one." she cooed. "Oh, she kicked!" exclaimed Jackie, grinning.

"He must like his grandma!" said Jack, joining the conversation for the first time.

"Oy! No one's calling me _grandma_! I look far too young to be a grandmother, thank you! And who the bloody hell are you anyway?" Jackie said in a huff.

"Oh, right! Jackie meet Jack." the doctor introduced them.

"Captain Jack Harkness, the pleasure's all mine." said Jack extending his hand. "I didn't mean to offend you by calling you grandma. Although you'd be one of the sexiest grandmothers I've ever met." He winked. The doctor rolled his eyes, and Jackie let out a girlish giggle.

"Oh he's alright, this one." She trilled, happily. "Where'd you pick him up?"

"It's a long story." all three travelers said simultaneously. Jackie narrowed her eyes looking skeptically at the trio, but shook her head deciding she'd rather not know.

"Was that the TARDIS I heard, Jacks?" called Pete as he descended the stairs.

"'Course it was you daft man! What else d'you know that goes _vworp vworp_ like that?" Jackie answered her husband.

"Ah, right." responded Pete, catching sight of the time ship. "Hello Rose, Doctor." Pete looked at Jack slightly confused.

"Cap'n Jack Harkness, how'd you do?" Jack introduced himself for the second time. "You must be Rose's father."

"Er, well yeah sort of. It's complicated." Answered Pete, unknowingly echoing the earlier conversation.

"Yeah it always is when it comes to this one." interjected Jackie, pointing accusingly at the doctor.

"I can't help it if you humans get confused by the particular workings of time travel!" the doctor attempted to defend himself. Unfortunately, he was surrounded by humans, so the remark wasn't well received.

"Oh no, don't you come in here and start bashing my entire species…" Jackie began, gearing up for a fight.

"Hey you two," Rose cut off her mother, "don't start arguing already, we've got days for that. Right now I need to sit down, 'cause my feet are killing me, and then we should all have a nice lunch."

"Oh, sorry love." said the doctor to Rose, all his defensiveness gone. "Come have a rest on the sofa." He led her over to the large sectional couch that wrapped around the living room. Once Rose was settled comfortably with her feet resting in the doctor's lap she began to realize just how hungry she was.

"Oooh Mum, can we get a Chinese takeaway?" she asked hopefully.

"But you hate Chinese!" responded Jackie in surprise.

"Well, I know I do, but I really want it, or at least he does…" she smirked patting her belly.

"There's no arguing with Rose's cravings, Jackie." warned the doctor. "Believe me, I've tried. D'you know, I found her in the TARDIS kitchen the other day eating a banana covered in marmite! _Marmite_ on a lovely, perfectly nice banana!" The doctor was positively scandalized by defilement of his favorite food, and made a face of revulsion at the memory.

"It was good!" Rose objected. The doctor shuddered.

"Right, well Chinese it is then!" laughed Pete. "Anybody want to come pick it up with me? Mr. Harkness?"

"It's Captain, actually, but please call me Jack." said Jack smoothly. "I'd love to come." Jack looked Pete up and down with a little too much interest. The doctor cleared his thought loudly.

"Wonderful!" said Pete, entirely oblivious to the Jack's interest. He headed towards the hall and Jack followed eagerly.

"Oh! Don't forget the eggrolls!" Rose shouted from across the room. The doctor massaged his ears, hoping silently to himself that the baby didn't inherit the propensity of Tyler women to yell.


	13. Chapter 13

**Let me know what you guys think. I promise the baby shower is coming. Thanks for reading!**

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After Rose had tucked away all the noodles she could hold plus four eggrolls, she pushed back from the table and stretched, yawning wide.

"Right." declared the doctor, "Bedtime for you, I should think." Rose hummed in agreement.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Jack. "It's only nine thirty! What's a guy supposed to do for fun around here?" The doctor just shrugged.

"Well, I dunno if you're interested," said Micky hesitatingly, "but me and me mates were thinkin' of going downtown later. They turned the old cyber-factory into a club. It's s'posed to be _industrial chic_ or whatever, all the big fans and all…"

"Sounds perfect!" Jack grinned. Mickey gave a nod.

"Oh Doctor, can't we go too? I'd love a spin on the dance floor!" Rose batted her eyelashes at the doctor.

"Don't even try it, Rose Tyler." The doctor wasn't willing to trade Rose's health for a night of clubbing. "You need to put your feet up. The only thing in store for you tonight is a hot bath and bed." he said firmly. Rose pouted adorably.

"For once, I agree with the Doctor." Said Jackie. "Cor, that phrase feels unnatural in the mouth, doesn't it?" Mickey nodded, and Jack let out a mirthful snort. "Still this time he's right. Rose, you really should be taking it easy from now on. There'll be no running around while you're here." Jackie stared pointedly at her daughter.

"Oh, alright." Rose conceded, yawning again. "But you and Mickey better tell me all about this new club." She told Jack insistently.

"Aye, aye Cap'n" said Jack raising his hand in a mock salute.

A little while later found the doctor climbing the main staircase, arms full of pillows. "We could have just stayed in the TARDIS…" he grumbled to himself. He walked down the hall to dump the load in one of the guest bedrooms. Rose was just coming out of the steamy en suite bathroom in a terry cloth robe when the doctor tossed the cushions onto the double bed.

"Did you bring my body pillow?" she asked.

"Right here." The doctor pulled a long bolster from the pile.

"Lovely." said Rose, grabbing it from him and heaving herself onto the bed.

"Rose, I was trying to set up an infrastructure here!" whined the doctor in reference to the complex arrangement of pillows Rose now required to sleep. "Don't you need to put on your pajamas or something? You'll catch cold if you fall asleep in that damp robe."

"Well," said Rose, a spark of mischief in her eye, "I wasn't really in the mood for _sleeping_ just yet."

"What else do you need?" the doctor blew a puff of air in frustration. "You've had your bath, you've got your pillows, you can't possibly be hungry, what else could you want?" he asked, being dense.

"You." answered Rose seductively.

"Oh, you mean… I, well… In your mother's house?" the doctor spluttered. Rose just nodded. "But what if they hear us?" he asked.

"Oh c'mon Doctor, their room's miles away from ours! And besides, you never worry about Jack hearing when we're in the TARDIS." Rose countered.

"That's because I always assumed the TARDIS was soundproofing our room. I ought to double check that now that you mention it, but that's beside the point. You're parents are in a whole different category than Jack." The doctor explained.

"Oh, it's not like they don't know you've shagged me!" exclaimed Rose in frustration. "I've got the evidence right here." She motioned to her round belly.

"Yeah, and remember how well your mother took that news." argued the doctor.

"You don't fancy me anymore." said Rose in a small voice.

"What?!" asked the doctor, flabbergasted. "How could you possibly think that?" He moved onto the bed to cradle her. "You are the most beautiful creature in all of time and space, and if you think I don't want to make love to you every second for the rest of eternity your dead wrong." The doctor stroked Rose's cheek.

"You're not just saying that?" asked Rose hopefully, though her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Rose, my Rose, how can I make you believe that I want you?" asked the doctor desperately.

"I can think of at least one way." Said Rose cheekily, starting to smile again. The doctor frowned.

"I want to, trust me, I definitely want to, but I just can't when you're mum's only a few rooms away. Besides, I know you're exhausted. You can't fool me, Miss Tyler."

"M'not" argued Rose, but another big yawn belied her argument.

"Why don't you just relax, and I'll give you a massage?" asked the doctor.

"Okay," Rose gave in, "But we've got to find some _alone time_ tomorrow."

"We will. I promise." swore the doctor. "Even if I have to whisk you away to the year twenty twenty-seven, I will get you alone tomorrow." he said, darkly. Rose blushed, as the doctor kissed her. After they broke apart he moved behind her to rub her shoulders. Since Rose could no longer lay on her stomach, the doctor lay sideways and propped himself up with pillows to reach her whole back. After about twenty minutes of running his hands up and down Rose's soft skin, the doctor was beginning to regret his previous decision. His fingers were beginning to move dangerously astray when Rose let out a loud snore. The doctor was jolted back to reality and quickly removed his hands from the luscious woman before him. He gently woke Rose to half-consciousness in order to help her into her pink cotton maternity nightgown and then tucked her into the nest of pillows, drawing the duvet up and around them both.

Thousands of Dalek ships surrounded them, stretching across the galaxy as far as the eye could see. How had they gotten this powerful? How could he possibly stop them? The doctor pulled his hair in agonizing indecision. In the end it all came down to the press of a button. It was such a simple action with such terrible consequences. How could he destroy so much life? Yet how could he let the war continue when he had the power to end it? The doctor felt his fingers caress the red button in front of him, and then squeezing his eyes tight, as if blindness would protect him, he slammed his hand down. The pain was as instant as it was agonizing. Yes explosions rattled the TARDIS, but the real effects were felt through the doctor's mind. He could see the flames; he could hear the screams all through the telepathic link. As punishment for ending a war, the doctor was forced to experience the death of Gallifrey and watch every man, woman, and child perish along with it. The nothingness that came next was almost worse than the inferno. All Time Lords shared a telepathic link, but now the Time Lords were gone all that was left was a deep, wanting hole in the doctor's mind. Never again would he feel the comfort of another filling that space. The doctor lay curled up on the floor of the TARDIS gasping in horror at the new world he had wrought.

It was at this point in the nightmare that the doctor typically awoke. However many times he dreamt of that fateful day, the memory never dimmed. Although he didn't sleep as much as Rose, the doctor fought what little sleep his body needed in fear of this dream. He always woke aching. Like a gaping wound that could never be healed, the doctor learned to ignore his telepathic isolation while making friends with humans. Since the Time War he had never been foolish enough to allow himself even the smallest fragment of hope that he would meet someone who could enter his mind. He loved Rose deeply, but secretly wished she could enter into his mind the way he sometimes entered her. Of course this was impossible, only a Gallifreyan could truly share the link.

Still fast asleep and curled up with Rose, the doctor whimpered as he re-lived the awful scene. He felt himself press the button, and then the tidal waves of pain and guilt that always followed. The dream was always the same, ending with the doctor on the floor, but this time it didn't end. Instead of awakening to the dark room and Rose's warm body, the doctor dreamed he was still in the TARDIS, except it was fading away. Though still prone on the floor, the dream doctor could feel it happening. He sat up and saw that he was no longer in his ship, but some place of nothingness. It was like floating inside of a cloud; only soft whiteness surrounded him. In sharp contrast to the typical agony of the dream, the doctor now felt a sense of calm stealing over him. Where was he, and what was going on? As he was asking himself these questions, the doctor noticed a small, pulsing, blue light. He reached for it, but in this strange atmosphere the doctor couldn't tell whether the light was close to him or far away. Although he couldn't determine the much about the light, the doctor felt sure that it was what projected the feelings of peace that had interrupted his nightmare.

"What are you?" his dream-self asked the light. In response something truly shocking happened. For just a moment, the light disappeared from view, but popped into that yearning, empty place in the doctor's mind. Even though it only lasted a few seconds, the sense of relief was enormous. The presence felt joyful, not threatening, and it acted as a balm to the sting from the memory the doctor so often re-lived in sleep. As soon as it had come, it was gone, and the doctor gasped at the unexpected jolt. It was now the doctor awoke, panting slightly and very confused. None of it made sense. Why would the same nightmare he had been having for years suddenly come with an alternate ending? What kind of force could possibly have infiltrated his memory? Yes, the new dream had felt comforting, but the doctor wasn't ruling out the possibility of a sinister influence. And if he wasn't mistaken, just as he awoke the doctor could swear he heard a very small giggle…


	14. Chapter 14

The next day dawned bright and cool. Spring was had well and truly sprung on earth and Jackie was taking advantage of all the wild flowers sprouting around the mansion. She was just arranging a large vase full of bright yellow daffodils on the side table as the doctor helped Rose down the main staircase.

"Those are lovely, Mum!" exclaimed Rose as she reached the landing.

"They are, aren't they?" said Jackie. "Thought a they'd add a bit of springtime to the party decorations. Oh and that reminds me, you've got to leave!" she exclaimed.

"What?" asked Rose. "What d'you mean, leave? Where am I gonna go?"

"Well I don't know, do I?" responded Jackie. "Go anywhere you like, but you can't stay here or you'll see all the preparations for your shower."

"Oh, right." said Rose, understanding. The doctor, however, was still confused.

"What are you talking about? We've already seen all the decorations, haven't we?" the doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Ha, not likely! You haven't seen 'em by half!" Jackie cawed.

"Then what were all those pink and blue streamers you were messing about with yesterday then?" asked the doctor.

"Oh that's nothing!" retorted Jackie. "Just you wait, Doctor. When you get back this whole place is going to be dressed to the nines!" The doctor just shrugged. He had never really understood the human propensity for decorations. They were always needlessly dressing up their houses, getting their hair done, changing their clothes. The doctor didn't bother with any of that rubbish, but if it made Rose happy then he would play along.

"Where should we go, then?" asked Rose as the two walked into the kitchen.

"Dunno." The doctor responded. "What are you in the mood for?" Rose raised her eyebrows and gave the doctor a cheeky look. Her tongue poked tantalizingly through her teeth, which drove the doctor mad with want for her. "I meant, other than that." The doctor amended, hastily clearing his throat as Pete walked into the room.

"So, I hear Jacks has banished you." said Pete conversationally, smiling at the couple. Rose nodded. "Fancy some breakfast before you go? I was thinking of doing waffles." Rose let out a sound that was somewhere between a squeal of excitement and a groan of longing. Both Pete and the doctor laughed.

"I'll take that as a yes, shall I?" asked Pete.

"Yes!" Rose affirmed. "Oh, and have you got any marmite?" she asked. Now it was the doctor's turn to groan.

After breakfast Rose and the doctor decided to spend their time in exile wandering around this universe's version of Kew Gardens. The doctor had wanted to take Rose on jaunt to visit the flower markets on Germifolis, but they had promised Jackie no trips in the TARDIS while they were here. Not even a quick one. Rose assured the doctor that they would visit the markets another time. Just as they were heading out the door, Jack emerged from down the corridor looking a little worse for wear.

"Weren't trying to sneak off without me again, were you Doc'?" he asked teasingly.

"Nah, we're being flung out." The doctor explained. "So Rose can be surprised by the baby shower."

"Oh, right, I forgot that was today." said Jack sleepily, scratching his head.

"How much did you have to drink last night, then?" Rose asked, trying to keep a giggle out of her voice. Jack just groaned in response.

"Oh good, you're up!" exclaimed Jackie as she bustled into the hall carry an armful of fairy lights. Jack clasped his head and groaned again. "Now then, we'll be needing none of that from you!" she chided him. "I'm counting on you to help decorate." Jackie turned and spotted Rose and the doctor. "And what are you two still doing here?" she demanded. "I thought I sent you off ages ago!" Jackie shooed them out the door.

Kew Gardens turned out to be the perfect date for the doctor and Rose. They had meandered through the lush vegetation, holding hands and chatting about nothing in particular. They reminisced about past adventures and imagined new ones for when the two of them would be three. Life in the TARDIS would be different, to be sure, but having regenerated nine times, the doctor was no stranger to the concept of change. The only thing that made the morning less than perfect was that the doctor kept hearing people mumbling behind them. Every time he turned to complain though, there was no one there. When Rose asked him about his unusual behavior, he just played it off. Between this and the strange dream, the doctor was troubled. Still he kept it from Rose, as he didn't want to worry her, especially when she should be enjoying her baby shower. The doctor had no idea what was causing these strange occurrences, but he was beginning to fear that all of this domesticity was literally driving him around the bend.

When they returned to the mansion, everything was very quiet. The lights were dimmed and the entrance hall was empty. "Where is everybody?" asked Rose nervously. "I thought Mum'd be running 'round in a tizzy by now."

"That reminds me, I almost forgot! I'm supposed to cover your eyes and take you into the living room. You're mum's orders." He explained apologetically.

"Well, go on then." Rose laughed at the doctor's incomprehension of surprises.

"Right, allons-y!" chirped the doctor as his large hands gently darkened Rose's vision. He took a firm grip on the sightless Rose, vigilant in case she was to stumble. He led her through the French doors that separated the rooms and stood her right in the middle of the lounge.

"SURPRISE!" shouted the predominately female group assembled, as the doctor drew back his hands. Rose blinked in the light that streamed through the pink and blue swathed windows. She surveyed the scene in wonder. The room was like a fairyland full of flowers and soft colored ribbons. Lights twinkled brightly on the ceiling through what looked like puffy clouds that where made of cotton wool. Piles of gifts were stacked high around the seated guests, many wrapped in precious baby themed papers and tissue. There were tea trays nestled around the room that held an assortment of goodies from petit fors to jammie dodgers, and along the back of the room a buffet had been set. All sorts of good foods were laid out, including a huge basket of bananas and a supersized jar of marmite with a pink bow on it. Right in the center of the buffet table there was a beautifully decorated, five tiered cake. A waterfall of sugar roses in baby pinks, blues, yellows, and greens cascaded over the layers and encircled the base of the was speechless, and even the doctor gasped quietly. It was more beautiful and splendid than either of them could have imagined.

"Well don't just stand there with your gobs hanging open!" Jackie teased them. "Come and sit down. You two've got the seat of honor." She motioned to the loveseat set in amidst the circle of guests, smiling. The doctor made to sit down, but first Rose waddled over to her mother and wrapped her in a big hug.

"Thank you, Mum. Everything's absolutely amazing!" Rose kissed Jackie on the cheek and wiped a tear of joy from her eye.

"Now, none of that! It was no trouble." Jackie clucked. Jack let out a derisive snort. He wouldn't call re-arranging the furniture three times "no trouble," especially when he was the one to do it. Luckily, Jackie was too focused on her daughter to notice Jack's less than modest reaction.

"Come on, Love." The doctor said, leading Rose over to the small couch and sitting down next to her. He maintained his grip on her hand as he looked out, surveying the assembled friends and family. There were very few faces he recognized. Mickey, Jack and Pete he knew of course, but there were also several other young women who rather resembled Rose when he had first met her. One of these girls caught his eye as she was staring intently at him as if trying to make up her mind about him. "You must be Shareen! Rose has told me all about you of course." The doctor said to the girl, who seemed surprised he knew her name.

"Yeah." She said, clearly still unsure of him. "And you're the Doctor I s'pose."

"The one and only!" said the doctor brightly. Shareen just nodded. Rose had been watching this exchange with interest.

"Looking large, Ro." Shareen said, a bit of mischief creeping into her voice.

"Too right, mate!" answered Rose, rubbing her belly and laughing. "Who'd a thought it, huh?"

"Oh I dunno, I figured you'd get yourself up the duff sooner or later, just thought it'd be a fella from round the estate." Rose laughed again, thinking back to her former life as a shop girl. She gave the doctor's hand a squeeze in silent thanks for helping her to grow into the woman she was now. Rose was also grateful for the small miracle the doctor had performed in bringing her old friends here. Now that he had created the tunnel between Pete's world and her old one, it was simply a matter of ferrying the guests between them. With just a smidge of telepathic persuasion, the doctor had convinced the girls that the TARDIS was a new, high-speed train taking them out to the recently inherited Tyler mansion in the country. After that it was a simple matter of setting the TARDIS on autopilot for the round trip.

"Oooh don't forget the badges!" another one of the girls squealed, flapping her hands at Jackie.

"Badges?" asked the doctor.

"Oh yeah! I've got 'em here somewhere." Jackie rifled through a big, pink bag at her feet finally coming up with two big buttons reading "Mummy to Be" and "Daddy to Be." She also had in hand a tacky, plastic tiara, which they doctor silently prayed was for Rose and not him.

"Ta-dah!" Jackie called out as she moved in on the couple trapped together on the loveseat.

"Err, thanks Mum…" said Rose, who didn't sound all that thankful. Jackie secured the silver crown onto Rose's head, and pinned the badge to her chest. Rose couldn't help but smile, though she rolled her eyes.

"It's lovely, Jackie, really what a nice thought, but are you quite sure I need to wear one as well? After all, the day is about Rose. I wouldn't want to steal the spotlight. Mind you, I did steal an actual spotlight once. There were some very angry Raxacoricofallapatorians on my heels that day, I'll tell you…" the doctor rambled in a desperate attempt to avoid being pinned. Facing the combined glares of Rose, Jackie, and Shareen caused the doctor to recoil slightly and then swallow his pride. "Oh, go one then." He told Jackie glumly. She pinned the big, blue badge to his lapel. There was a collective "awww" of appreciation from the women assembled.

"Alright!" Jackie clapped her hands. "Now, who's ready to play _guess what's in the nappy_?" The blood drained from the doctor's face, as Jack whispered "Let the games begin…"


	15. Chapter 15

**Oh man, this was the best chapter to write! I hope you guys enjoy it :) Thanks for reading and please review! xoxo**

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When Jackie had announced the game, the doctor had literally recoiled in horror. Was this what humans traditionally did at baby showers? Pass around chocolate smeared nappies for the guests to inspect? No wonder the High Council of Time Lords had ended natural reproduction, if this is what it led to. The doctor almost burst out laughing when he tried to envision this little ritual taking place on Gallifrey. Despite his initial reaction, the doctor found any competition irresistible, as evidenced by his many bets with Rose over the years. Once he got past the fact that the melted chocolates were meant to represent baby poo, the doctor was the keenest player of the group, eagerly grabbing nappies and analyzing their contents with his superior sense of taste and smell. Despite his extra Time Lord abilities, the doctor wasn't very familiar with the many varieties of Earth candy so the playing field was just about even. Each guest was directed to write their guesses on a card, and the one who had the most correct answers would be the winner.

"I hope you're not cheating over there Doctor!" teased Jack with laughter in his voice. "No sonic-ing allowed!"

"Oy!" shouted the doctor indignantly. "I'll have you know, I never cheat! Just call me the Fair-in Square Doctor! Wait, no don't call me that. That's rubbish." Rose coughed, meaningfully. "Well, I _almost_ never cheat…" the doctor amended. Rose rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Everybody got their answers down?" called Jackie over the chatter. The doctor suddenly started scribbling on his card.

"You two have been deliberately distracting me!" he accused Jack and Rose.

"How dare you, Sir! We would never do such a thing!" declared Jack pompously, feigning offense. He winked at Rose, who giggled.

"Well it won't work, because I've already gotten them all correct." said the doctor smugly as he hurried to turn his card in to Jackie.

"Right, that's everyone then." she declared. "Just give us mo' to do the tally." Jackie started ticking off answers on each card.

"C'mon…" grumbled the doctor who was tapping the sonic screwdriver against his leg anxiously. After a long few minutes Jackie raised her head from the papers, smiling.

"We've got a winner!" she declared. The doctor made to stand up and take a bow, but Rose pulled him back. "But let's go through the answers first." said Jackie. She held up a nappy labeled number one and contained a smooth streak of brown. "In this one, we've got a chunk of melted Dairy Milk." The doctor nodded his head as if this was very obvious. "Nappy number two contains Turkish Delight." She pointed to a gelatinous looking blob in the second diaper. "In number three we've got a picnic bar. Not many of you got that one!" Jackie laughed. "Number four is a Bounty Bar." Jackie continued.

"I think that one looked the worst…" whispered Rose, and the doctor nodded in agreement.

"And last, but not least," Jackie paused for dramatic effect. "nappy number five contains a Crunchie bar!"

"What?" the doctor jumped up in protest. "But, but it _can't_ be!" Everyone stared at the doctor. "I've tasted Crunchies and that poo was nothing like them! I'm sure it was a Violet Crumble!" he cried.

"A what?" asked Jackie.

"A Violet Crumble of course!" reiterated the doctor.

"Never heard of it." said Jackie, resolutely.

"But you must have done! Rose?" the doctor turned to his companion for help.

"Sorry Doctor, I think they might have those crumble things in Australia, but I've never seen one." Rose replied. "Don't worry, I didn't get them all either." The doctor frowned and sat back down, muttering something inaudible about Australia.

"Well then," began Jackie, trying to smooth over the awkward moment. "Shall I announce the person who did win?"

"Go on, Gorgeous!" called Jack. Jackie flushed and cleared her throat.

"The winner is our very own Mickey Smith!" she announced brightly. Mickey sat up, looking surprised.

"It is? I mean, I won?" he asked. Jackie nodded and handed him a blue ribbon reading "First Place." "Alright!" exclaimed Mickey as he stood to receive the token. "Ha ha!" he laughed triumphantly. "I beat the Doctor! Finally! See this?" he snapped the ribbon in front of the doctor's face as if it were a fifty pound note. "I'm finally better than you at something!" Mickey couldn't contain his pleasure.

"Yes, well done Mickey. You are the undisputed king of poo!" said the doctor, snidely. Rose smacked him on the knee.

"Too right, I am!" answered back Mickey, too pleased to be bothered by the title. "Who's tin dog now, eh?" The doctor just gritted his teeth for Rose's sake, but made a mental note to get back at Mickey just as soon as possible.

The party games continued without incident for the most part. Jack got a little over eager during a round of _pin the baby on the bosom_, and Pete started feeling queasy while playing _guess the baby food_, but besides that the games were a hit. Jackie was beaming with pride over her daughter and the fabulous day.

By now everyone was starting to get peckish, so the buffet was opened and slices of the beautiful cake were passed around. Still aware that he was being scrutinized by Rose's friends, Shareen in particular, the doctor made the chivalrous gesture of bringing Rose a plate. He included a bit of everything from the table, and even a healthy dollop of marmite on the side. He ruined the effect somewhat by holding his nose away from the stuff, but Rose just laughed. "Get me a piece of cake, Doctor?" she asked. He made a noble bow.

"Anything for the guest of honor!" he declared, returning to the opposite side of the room. Shareen took the opportunity of the doctor's absence to sit down next to Rose. Both women had grown up quite a bit since their school days, and worried that their first meeting in so long might be awkward. Rose was the one to speak first. "So, what d'you think?" she asked.

"About wha'? I mean everything's fab, really. I've never been to such a flashy baby shower before." responded Shareen.

"Not about the party, about the Doctor of course!" Rose grinned.

"Oh, well I didn't know you still valued my opinion about men…" said Shareen, trying to figure out where she and Rose stood.

"Of course I do!" insisted Rose. "I always have, and I always will." she said firmly.

"Oh, right then." said Shareen smiling warmly.

"So…" prompted Rose, eager to hear what her best mate had to say.

"Well," Shareen began, but then stopped herself. "You sure you want my honest opinion?"

"Yeah, really I do."

"Well, when I first saw him I thought he was really fit and all." Shareen grinned, and Rose nodded in agreement. "I mean I always liked the tall, lanky types. And then watching him playing the games I started thinking he was a bit of a nutter to be honest. The things he says don't even make sense half the time!" Rose just giggled at this. Shareen continued. "But now that I've seen you and him together, well, I've gotta say you're perfect really."

"Do you really think so?" Rose asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I do. I mean you can tell his hearts in the right place. And you two sort of balance each other out. It's like you need him to make you laugh, and he needs you to bring him back to earth." Shareen didn't realize how fitting her description of Rose and the doctor's relationship was. "Mind you, It makes sense you'd end up with a guy who's a bit odd. You were always a bit odd yourself." Shareen teased.

"You're one to talk!" Rose shot back. "Remember in the sixth grade when you convinced me that we should both dye our hair green?" Both of the women cracked up at the memory.

"Alright, I guess you could say that we were both a bit weird." Shareen conceded, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. Rose was so happy to be joking with her best mate just like she had in the old days. Just then, the doctor returned with a piece of cake buried under a mountain of sugar roses.

"I hope you two weren't talking about me." said the doctor, playfully raising an eyebrow. The girls burst out laughing again.

"I was just saying, I hope you get as excited about nappies once the baby comes as you did today." Rose covered. The doctor laughed uneasily and held out the plate to Rose. "Is there any cake under there?" teased Rose.

"Of course!" answered the doctor. "I just didn't know what color rose you wanted, so I brought them all. Sweet roses for my sweet Rose." He looked at her tenderly.

"What a line!" Shareen muttered, chuckling under her breath. "I'd probably faint if a bloke said that to me." she teased.

"Well, perhaps it wasn't one of my better ones." the doctor admitted, his ego bruised. He quickly changed the subject. "So have you got a fellow, then Shareen?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm in between boyfriends at the moment." she said dryly. "Although I did catch the eye of that friend of yours. What's his name? Jack, was it? Said he was a captain or something." Rose and the doctor looked at each other. "What?" asked Shareen.

"It's nothing." Rose told her. "I just don't think that Jack is a long-term relationship kind of bloke." Shareen just shrugged.

"S'alright." she said. "I'm not looking for anything serious. No offense, but I'm not looking to get myself knocked up just yet." The doctor frowned, but Rose just laughed. Shareen sauntered off to the punch bowl and struck up a conversation with Jack, until Jackie declared that it was time to open the gifts. One by one, presents were passed to Rose who delicately untied ribbons and slipped off the paper. There were quite a few baby-gros and outfits from her girlfriends, who all bemoaned the fact that the baby's gender was unknown. They had wanted to buy girly dresses and accessories to match Rose. One of the girls that Rose had worked with at Henrick's had purchased all pink items anyway, saying she had dreamt that the baby was a girl. The doctor wasn't bothered.

"Any son of mine can wear pink! This pink and blue gender-binary nonsense is just silly human custom." But he got a few strange looks, and Rose hurried to open the next present.

"Hold on a second, Rose." called out Pete. "That one's not for you."

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

"It's actually for the Doctor." Pete said, slightly bashfully.

"You shouldn't have!" said the doctor, not very believably as he grabbed for the present.

"I didn't." said Pete. "Well, at least it wasn't just me. It's from all the guys. Me, Mickey, and Jack."

"Yeah, don't forget us!" called Mickey.

"Thanks, fellas!" said the doctor, genuinely. He began to pull the tissue from the bag, haphazardly flinging it over his shoulder. The doctor rummaged in the bag and pulled out a tee shirt. He smiled and shook his head, then held it up to show the group. It had a picture of a rocket ship on it, and read "Doctor Dad: ready for duty anytime, anywhere!" There were a few chuckles and awws from the surrounding guests. "How did you…?" the doctor began.

"We had it printed just for you!" Jack answered. "Keep going, there's more." The doctor dove in again and grabbed a cloth nappy with the words "bigger on the inside" across the bum. Rose really got a kick out of that one. Next came a baby-gro reading "I heart heart my daddy" with two red hearts instead of the usual one. All the ladies sighed and commented on how sweet it was, but Shareen frowned.

"But they've printed it wrong. Why've they done two hearts instead of one?"

"Oh you're right!" exclaimed the doctor innocently. "I hadn't even noticed that. Ah well, we'll just have to exchange it." He made a disappointed face, but dropped a small wink for Rose. There was one more thing at the very bottom of the bag, a miniature bottle of Jack Daniels. Now it was the doctor's turn to look puzzled. "Spirits?"

"You just wait, mate. You're gonna need it!" laughed Mickey. The doctor wasn't sure but pocketed the whiskey anyway, just in case. Rose continued opening the many gifts, receiving everything one could think of for a baby, and some things the doctor had never even heard of. In addition to a baby sized leather bomber jacket, Jack got the couple something called a Bumbo, which turned out to be an ergonomic baby seat. Jackie and Pete had gone in together and bought a pram for Rose and the Doctor.

"S'got all-terrain wheels, the salesman said." pointed out Jackie. "You can take it anywhere you want to go. The doctor was thrilled, and spent several minutes on his knees inspecting the mechanics of the stroller until Rose finally forced him to sit down again. Jackie had also gotten them a soft fabric sling to hold the baby. It midnight blue and patterned with stars.

"It's perfect, Mum. Really gorgeous!" said Rose as she lovingly stroked the fabric. The vast pile of presents finally began to dwindle, and Rose noticed the doctor begin to fidget. Surely he had had about as much domesticity as he could stand for one day, she thought. After the last scrap of paper had been cleared away, Rose thanked all of her friends profusely. It had been the most wonderful day. She made to stand up, freeing her doctor from a situation which had clearly become uncomfortable, when he put a hand on her arm. He cleared his throat, shakily.

"Err, just a minute everyone. I believe there's still one more present." The doctor held up a finger, asking everyone to wait a moment while he fiddled with something hidden behind the loveseat. Rose was definitely confused, and looked to her mother. Jackie just shook her head, but couldn't conceal that fact that she was beaming from ear to ear. The doctor re-appeared with a small box wrapped in TARDIS blue paper. If it weren't for his Time Lord physiology he would be sweating from nerves. He wanted to do this, had for some time, but could he really find the courage?

The doctor steeled himself, took a deep breath, and kneeled in front of Rose. He wordlessly handed her the box. She accepted it in shaking hands. Was he really doing what she thought he was doing? "Open it." urged the doctor, who couldn't stand the suspense. She carefully undid the wrapping with her trembling fingers. Inside was a small, ornately carved wooden box the color of coffee. She looked up at the doctor. His eyes were sparkling as he nodded her on. She slowly lifted the lid, almost afraid to look inside. When she did, what she saw took her breath away. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. The band was made of a silvery metal which was inscribed with spiraling script Rose recognized as High Gallifreyan. In the center there was set a magnificent stone that bore no description. It was as if in its center was held the night sky, or perhaps the heart of the TARDIS itself, swirling from deep blues to gold.

"Rose Marion Tyler, I love you." said the doctor. Many of the guests pressed their hands to their mouths in suspense. The doctor's breath caught in his throat. Rose simply nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "You found me in the darkness, and led me to the light. You make me a better man every day." The doctor was now crying as well. He couldn't help it. "You are the most amazing woman I have ever known, and I want to be with you 'til the end of time. I promise to love and protect you and our child until my last breath." He paused to look deeply into Rose's eyes and then said, "Will you be my life-mate, and bond with me? Rose Tyler, will you marry me?"

For a moment there was dead silence in the room, and then, despite being heavily pregnant, Rose threw herself into the doctor's arms. He instantly toppled backwards, but cushioned her landing as they collapsed entwined on the floor. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes." She kept repeating over and over, peppering his face with kisses. Finally her mouth found his, and they kissed passionately as the onlookers broke out in cheers and applause.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi everyone! Thanks for you're lovely reviews, they definitely help motivate me. I just wanted to note that I reference the story "The Stone Rose" in this chapter and probably upcoming chapters as well. If you're not familiar with it, you can check out the wikipedia page here: wiki/The_Stone_Rose Anyway, as always I hope you enjoy and review. Thanks!**

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"Please tell me that's the last of it?" The doctor begged Rose as he set down two large shopping bags on the control room floor. Rose laughed softly.

"Just one more." Rose answered. The doctor sighed and resolutely marched back to the living room to collect the last of the gifts. "I could have helped you know…" She called to him. The doctor shook his head.

"No way." answered the doctor. "I'm serious Rose, you've got to start taking it easy. We're just going to have a nice, quiet break from now until the wedding." He insisted.

"Hmph." muttered Rose, sticking out her lip.

"Now, we'll have no sulking Miss Tyler, or I'll have to remind you what happens when you're a bad girl…" the doctor threatened teasingly.

"Yowza, Doc! I've been naughty, are you gonna spank me?" Captain Jack said as he entered the room. Rose rolled her eyes and the doctor was overcome by a rare blush. Jack just laughed loudly.

"What's so funny?" asked Mickey, now joining the group.

"Nothing." said Rose and the doctor simultaneously. Mickey looked at them suspiciously, but let it go.

"So when ya' leaving?" Mickey asked.

"Just packing up the last of it now." said the doctor. Mickey nodded.

"I am sure gonna miss you guys!" exclaimed Jack wistfully.

"Oh, Jack, we'll miss you too!" Rose told him sincerely. "But we'll see you soon for the wedding. Thanks again for understanding about me and the doctor needing some alone time before the baby and everything."

"Hey, what are friends for?" said Jack, modestly.

"Besides, Shareen told me you two have a date!" Rose added, smiling. Jack grinned back.

"Oh, ho!" Mickey cried out. "You'd better look out for that one, mate." he told Jack, darkly. Rose gave Mickey a stern look.

"Meaning?" Jack asked.

"That girl can burn through men like you've never seen!" Mickey explained. "Makes a bloke's head spin to watch her, it does."

"Well, maybe I've finally met my match." Jack joked.

Jackie and Pete walked towards the group, arm in arm. Jackie's nose was read and she was sniffling.

"Mum, have you been crying?" asked Rose, concernedly.

"Oh, don't mind me, darling." Jack waved her hand. "I'm just being overly dramatic."

"There's a surprise." muttered the doctor under his breath. Jackie turned on him.

"If anything happens to my girl, or my grandchild while you're gone…" she began. The doctor raised his hands in innocence.

"Nothing's going to happen, Jackie!" he insisted. "I've already told Rose we'll be taking it easy. Haven't I Rose?" he looked to her for support.

"It's true, Mum." Rose assured her mother. "It's gonna be really boring. We'll probably just be hanging around in the vortex, doing nothing."

"Well, except there is this one, teensy little side trip I wanted to make first…" interjected the doctor, honestly. Rose trod on his foot in an effort to shut him up. "Ouch!" the doctor cried. "Why'd you step on my foot, Rose?" God, he really could be thick sometimes, Rose thought to herself.

"Nice try, Sweetie." said Jackie, not even remotely fooled. "Well, wherever this side trip is, it better not be something mad and dangerous." Jackie said pointedly to the doctor.

"Danger? I don't even know the meaning of the word!" the doctor joked. "But seriously, Jackie, Rose'll be safe as houses with me." Jackie just sighed. Rose moved forward to hug her mum.

"We'll be back in a month or so, and I'll call you." Rose assured Jackie.

"Right then, have a good trip!" Pete said, embracing Rose as well.

"Keep an eye on Jack for us, will you Pete?" called the doctor, winking. "And Jack, try to stay out of trouble." Jack saluted the doctor, and the doctor gave a half salute back. Rose waddled back to the doctor, and the whole group stood and watched as the TARDIS began to dematerialize with its characteristic "vworp, vworp."

Once they were in flight, Rose came up behind the doctor and wrapped her arms around him. It felt strange now that her bump was so big she couldn't press her body flush against the doctors. Still they had found new ways to be close. It turned out the doctor was quite a clever boy when it came to creative positions in the bedroom. He attributed this to the many hours he had spent playing tetris. "So where are we actually going?" asked Rose, still hugging the doctor the best she could. He spun around to face her.

"We are going to have a very relaxing, danger-free, romantic getaway in Ancient Rome!" he declared, and kissed Rose on the cheek.

"Ooooh!" she squealed in excitement. "Sounds lovely, but how can you be sure we won't end up on the wrong side of some centurions? I mean last time we were in Rome, I got turned to stone and you made your debut in the gladiatorial arena." Rose pointed out.

"I did, didn't I?" the doctor preened. "I think I made a pretty good gladiator, myself. The crowd _loved_ me! Remember that bit when I put a tiger to sleep with my sonic screwdriver? Oh and the pole vaulting!" the doctor reminisced. Rose raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh yes, well the reason I know that we _won't_ be having any of those sort of adventures this time is that we're visiting a lovely little fixed pocket of time. Very boring, nothing can change, no pole vaulting involved, but there you are." the doctor told her.

"Oh, okay." Rose nodded. "So what are we gonna do when we get there? I didn't really get to see much of the culture last time, being a statue and all."

"Well, I'm afraid you won't be seeing much of it this time either." the doctor said regretfully. "I can only be sure of the time stasis within a certain perimeter, so we can't actually venture into the heart of Rome itself." Rose pouted. "But It'll still be lovely!" the doctor promised. "We'll be staying with our old friend Gracilis. I already sent word."

"Gracilis?" asked Rose. "You mean the same Gracilis who has that statue of me you sculpted in his garden?"

"Yep!" said the doctor, popping the p for emphasis. "I thought it might be nice to visit my masterpiece." The doctor grinned. "Well, other than this masterpiece." He added, stroking Rose's tummy. She gave a derisive laugh.

"Oh yeah? And remind me again what _you_ did to create this baby? I don't think it was very hard just getting off in the right place at the right time!"

"Now there you're wrong." The doctor wagged his finger at her. "I remember things being very _hard_ indeed." He grinned wickedly. Rose rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well, I'm just sayin' if anybody gets to call this kid their masterpiece it ought to be me. I'm the one who's been growing him inside me all these months." Rose grumbled. Realizing that she wasn't in the mood for jokes, the doctor quickly changed his tone.

"You're right, love." He said taking her into his arms. "You've been amazing. I know carrying this child hasn't been easy. We're nearing the finish line now, though." Rose snuggled into him, letting the doctor rest his chin on top of her head.

"Do you think we'll make good parents?" she asked, hesitantly.

"'Course we will! We'll be fantastic. Best parents in the universe, us!" There was a pause as Rose waited for the doctor's honest answer. "We'll do alright." He said finally. "Of course we will make mistakes, naturally, but we'll just have to learn as we go, like all new parents have been doing since the beginning of time." Rose hummed in acquiescence, as she listened to the double thrum of the doctor's hearts. The doctor kissed the top of Rose's head, and stroked her hair. They stayed like this for a few moments, just enjoying each other in the moment as they rode the waves of the vortex into their future.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi Guys! Sorry for the delay. I will try to get more chapters up soon. I'm also going to post a little Roman Love Scene ;) as a separate M rated story, so be on the look out for that. Thanks for reading and reviews are always appreciated.**

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The TARDIS shuddered to a halt, and sent Rose and the doctor toppling over as she landed. Luckily, the doctor was able to catch Rose before she hit the floor, taking all the force on his boney bottom as he sat down hard, Rose in his lap. "Ooof!" he grunted. "We've got to get you a seatbelt." said the doctor, looking at the jump seat trying to decide how he would install one.

"Did I crush you?" Rose asked, apologetically.

"Course not!" declared the doctor, not being entirely truthful. "I've got buns of steel, me!" he grinned.

"No argument here." said Rose, winking at him. The doctor helped her up and righted himself.

"So, here we are!" he said brightly. "Rome, AD 123." He threw open the TARDIS doors to reveal the elegant villa belonging to Gracilis. There was the main house, framed by tall, verdant Cyprus trees, a graceful colonnade leading off to several manicured gardens, as well as a sprinkling of outbuildings which housed everything from slaves to animal feed. The doctor took Rose's hand and strode meaningfully up to a man who was standing by the entrance. Rose tottered to keep up.

"I'm the Doctor, and this is Rose." The doctor declared cheerily. "Inform your master that we have arrived, if you would be so kind." The slave nodded and retreated into the cool house. Moments later a bright eyed, elderly man came hobbling from the entranceway with a kindly old woman and a handsome youth following behind.

"Doctor!" the old man exclaimed, joyfully. "I bid you most welcome to my humble home!"

"Good to see you, Gracilis!" the doctor pulled the old man into a quick hug. "Thanks ever so for having me and Rose to stay!" The doctor moved to clasp the woman's hand. "And Marcia, lovely to see you!"

"Welcome Doctor." She said demurely, moving to put an arm around Rose. "Please, you must come inside and refresh yourselves after the journey." She invited.

"Thanks!" said Rose, appreciating the chance to get off her feet.

"You are most kind." the doctor told Marcia. "As you can see, my Rose is in a delicate condition and needs rest."

"Do not worry, Doctor." answered Marcia. "She will be well attended." The doctor nodded his gratitude.

The couple's young and handsome son Optatus stepped forward. "Oh hello!" the doctor said. "Keeping out of trouble?" he asked. The young man smiled.

"We can never repay you for saving our dear son." Gracilis said, referring to their previous meeting when both Optatus and Rose had been turned into stone statues and were ultimately rescued by the doctor with a little help from a genetically engineered neural imagination engine, or GENIE. The doctor smiled and shrugged modestly "You are forever welcome to anything we can provide." continued Gracilis. "I hope you find your stay here pleasing."

The group made their way through the entrance hall and into a great chamber where they were seated on plush couches. Wine and bread where offered as well as an assortment of fruits. Rose grabbed a fig, hungrily.

"We were sorry we could not be present at your nuptiae." Marcia said conversationally.

"But we're not…" began Rose in confusion. The doctor cleared his throat loudly, cutting her off.

"Yes, it was a very small ceremony, performed in Sardinia last year." The doctor said loudly. "Very quiet, just families and all." He explained. Marcia nodded. Optatus wasn't listening, as he was tossing grapes and catching them in his mouth.

"Son…" Gracilis began to reprimand. Optatus stopped showing off, but winked cheekily at Rose, who giggled. The doctor frowned.

"Perhaps we should get settled in our quarters before supper." said the doctor.

"Of course," Gracilis clapped his hands, summoning another male slave. "Our guests wish to be settled in their rooms." He informed the slave, who bowed. Rose and the doctor were led down a cool, stone hallway. A female slave appeared in order to help Rose towards a separate doorway.

"Aren't we in the same room?" Rose asked the doctor, a note of disappointment in her voice.

"'Fraid not." He answered "But, the chambers adjoin…" he smiled. Rose let herself be led away from the doctor and into a beautiful room. There was a large bed, canopied in sheer fabrics, and the walls were covered in mosaics depicting various goddesses. The young woman, who was clearly expected to wait on Rose, began to fill a basin with warm water and flowers. The fragrance was lovely, but it was an even nicer surprise when the woman began to wash Rose's swollen feet in the basin.

"Ooh, that's great, thanks!" Rose moaned. The slave nodded silently. The bowl was refilled with plain water, for Rose to wash her face and hands with, and once she was done the slave had produced a long swath of pale gold fabric. Rose stood up, puzzled as to what she ought to do. Clearly the woman was expecting something. After a moment's hesitation, the slave spoke.

"You must undress, Madam, so that we may cleanse your garments. I will fit you with appropriate attire." She motioned to the fabric in her arms. Rose blinked.

"Oh, right!" she said still confused, but stripping off none the less. Maybe they hadn't invented maternity clothes yet, she thought to herself. But unless that bit of cloth gets a fair bit wider, it's not going to cover much of me. Rose set her twenty-first century clothes on the table, and the woman moved. She started by draping the length of fabric over Rose's shoulders, letting them hang down to the floor. Then, in a series of mesmerizing movements, the slave twisted, wrapped, and tied the bands around Rose, creating a simple but stunning dress. It was half toga, half halter dress. The skirt hung loosely from Rose's hips, leaving her calves bare. The slave woman was now tying gold sandals onto Rose's feet, crisscrossing the straps, Roman style up each leg. To finish off the ensemble, another length of fabric, this time in deep blue, was wrapped around Rose's large belly like a sash. This not only had the effect of accentuating her curves, but also of supporting the weight of the baby. Turns out these ancient Romans knew a thing about maternity wear after all. Rose smiled to herself, and spun in a circle letting the dress float out and swirl around her knees deliciously. "Thank you!" she said emphatically to the serving woman. She nodded silently in response. "I never asked your name." Rose realized aloud. "I'm Rose, by the way." she extended her hand to the slave, who looked alarmed as if fearful this was a trick. Slowly, she took Rose's hand and dropped into a quick, subservient bow. "Err, So what is your name?" Rose asked more directly.

"My n-name?" the slave stuttered.

"Yeah," insisted Rose. "It'd be a bit weird not even knowing the name of the person who dressed me!"

"Pia" she said softly.

"'Scuse me? I didn't catch that."

"My name is Pia, Madam." The slave woman spoke more clearly.

"Oh, that's lovely." said Rose, smiling warmly at Pia. Before she could say more, there was a trill of knocking, not on the door they had entered through, but from a curtained place further along the wall. The doctor poked his head in through the curtain, grinning madly.

"Can I come in? Is everyone decent?" he sang out. Rose had just assumed that the curtain was merely covering a stain on the wall or something, but it must be the path between the adjoining rooms the doctor had mentioned, she realized. Pia had retreated into a corner, ashamed to be caught in such a casual conversation with a superior.

"You can come in." Rose called. Though she had been looking at herself in the full length mirror when the doctor entered, her head quickly turned in the realization that she was not the only one dressed for the period. "What are you wearing?" she couldn't help but blurt out.

"What, this old thing?" the doctor grinned. "Don't you like it?" Rose laughed. The doctor was dressed in little more than a crisp white toga. Though his chest was covered, his arms and lower legs were bare making him look even more gangly than usual. The simple garment was belted by a swath of the same golden fabric that made up Rose's dress, and where most Romans would carry a sword, the doctor had stuck his sonic screwdriver. "I know I don't usually show this much leg, Rose, but try not to get overwhelmed by my Time Lord physique." He flexed a bicep, and raised his eyebrow simultaneously. Rose couldn't help but giggle.

"Too late." she told the doctor. "I'm always overwhelmed by your physique…" she winked at him. The doctor's eyes darkened at this, and took in a deep breath. By now, Rose knew what that look meant.

"Thanks for everything, Pia." she called over her shoulder. "You can go." The slave backed out of the room, relieved to be gone from the company of these two very strange strangers.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi guys! Sorry this chapter took so long. I've also written a new story that happens between this chapter and the previous one called "When in Rome" which is up now. Please be mindful of the M rating and Lemons for that story. This one will continue as T rated. Thanks for reading and as always reviews make the sun shine brighter and the writing happen faster! xoxo**

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The doctor was concerned, and not about Rose for once. Despite some aches and pains that were to be expected in late pregnancy, she was doing beautifully. The baby spent its hours kicking away merrily, and Rose was taking it all in her stride. No, it was himself that the doctor was worried about. He thought he might be losing his mind. Madness wasn't common among the Time Lords, but there were tales of ancient Gallifreyans who had regenerated so many times and stretched their mental capacities so much that they simply cracked. Was this now happening to the doctor? He had given much thought to the strange whispering that had filtered in and out of his consciousness and could pinpoint the moment it started. Everything began the night he had had that unsettling dream, that nightmare where he had been suddenly plucked out of the Time War and given respite. Perhaps his guilt had finally caught up with him. Perhaps this was the punishment for a man who killed his own people.

He had been putting a brave face on things for Rose's sake. It gutted the doctor to make her worry, and he wouldn't do it until there was no other option. Unfortunately, the doctor acknowledged to himself, that time had arrived. If he truly was going doolally, Rose deserved to know before he lost it completely. The doctor had learned his lesson after he regenerated into this body. He wouldn't leave her without explanation ever again. The only question that remained was when to tell her.

They had now been in ancient Rome for about a week. Gracilis had been a most gracious host, laying out lavish banquets for his guests almost every night. In fact, Rose had discovered quite a taste for dormice. "It's not that I don't feel bad about eating a sweet little mouse," she explained, gnawing on a roasted rodent on a stick. "It's just that they taste so good, I can't help myself!" she insisted. To the Romans, who had yet to experience the wonderful world of Disney, a mouse was looked on as a treat, rather like a meaty lollipop, and certainly not as something cute.

"Your wife is very sensitive, Doctor." commented Optatus, sneering. Rose glared.

"Indeed, she has a heart for all creatures in the universe," the doctor responded. "For how else could she love a beast like me?" he teased. Rose forgot the insult and laughed.

"Are you a beast indeed, Doctor?" Optatus goaded, unwilling to give up his taunting. "I wouldn't have expected one so slim and slight of frame to have a beastly nature. Though I cannot deny the evidence is laid before us," He gestured to Rose. "You must play the beast in the bedroom to have a wife so heavy with child." he mused. "but perhaps you had slave do it…" Rose's drinking glass slipped from her fingers and smashed on the stone floor. The doctor stood up, clenching his jaw tightly in rage.

"Optatus, how can you say such things?" moaned Marcia in shame. "You have insulted our guests most terribly!"

"Son, you must go pray to the Gods for forgiveness for your foul words." Gracilis commanded sternly.

"I am a _man_!" exclaimed Optatus. "I no longer wear the _bulla praetexta_, and you cannot command me like a child." He spat at his father.

"You may be a man in dress," Gracilis said darkly, "But you have much to learn before you are a man in my eyes." At this, Optatus stormed out of the room. Gracilis shook his head wearily, as if trying to dislodge the unpleasant words of his only son. "I apologize for my child." Gracilis told the doctor and Rose, earnestly. "May the Gods grant you one that is obedient." he added.

"Come!" Marcia clapped her hands together, "Take the air with me, Rose." She insisted. "We shall walk and leave all this unpleasantness to the men." Rose looked to the doctor, and he nodded and gave her a small smile. She stood and followed Marcia out into the cool evening.

"I hope the thoughtless remarks of my son have not broken our bond of friendship, Doctor?" Gracilis asked after a moment's silence.

"'Course not!" The doctor told the old man. "I make a point of not judging a man by his relations. You should have seen mine…"

"Thank you, good Doctor." said Gracilis, clearly relieved. It would be within his legal rights for the doctor to fight Optatus to the death for an insult of that caliber. Any affront on a man's virility was taken very seriously in Rome, and Gracilis was thankful that his guest was not a prideful man. Nothing ended a dinner party faster than a bloody duel.

They sat for a few moments longer in the companionable silence often shared by old men, each lost in his own thoughts. The doctor then stood.

"I'm just going to go check on Rose." He told Gracilis.

"Of course." Gracilis stood, and patted the doctor on the shoulder.

The doctor found Rose and Marcia strolling in the lower garden, near a grove of olive trees. Marcia appeared to be comforting Rose, who had obviously been upset by the words of Optatus. She had a comforting arm around Rose and was thinking to herself how much she would have liked a daughter of her own. Boys were always so troublesome. It was Marcia who looked up and spotted the doctor first. She smiled and withdrew her arm as the doctor descended the stone steps and came toward them.

"I assume you have come in search of your lovely bride." Marcia said to the doctor. Then in a quieter voice she said "Be kind. A woman always needs much affection at this time." Marcia patted the doctor's arm and left walked back towards the house. The doctor moved to wrap his arms around Rose, and they stood holding each other for a moment.

"You've been crying." The doctor pointed out.

"Oh, it's nothing," Rose wiped her eyes brusquely. "just that little shit Optatus… I know I shouldn't let him get to me, but to hear him talk to you like that!" she exclaimed in frustration.

"He's just a rude teenager trying to sort himself out." The doctor sighed, knowingly. "But he shouldn't have said those things. We can leave if you want." He offered.

"No, we should stay the week like we promised. I don't want to be rude to Marcia and Gracilis." Rose said. "Besides, I'm just overreacting. It must be the hormones." she added. "I'm gonna go properly mental if this baby doesn't come out soon. I feel like I've been pregnant forever!" Rose huffed. This reminded the doctor of his earlier worries about his own mental health, and he frowned. "What?" asked Rose.

"Nothing!" the doctor lied, brightly. Rose gave him an incredulous look.

"Really, Doctor, you're a terrible liar." She shook her head.

"Okay, well, yes there is a little something that's been troubling me, but now's not the time." said the doctor in a rush.

"Why not?" asked Rose.

"Well, you've just been upset and I don't want to bother you with anything else." He told her. Rose exhaled in a sigh of frustration.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Doctor? I always want to know what's going on, even if it's bad. You forget you're not alone anymore. We're in this together, you and me. Whatever it is, we'll face it together, yeah?" The doctor gave Rose a squeeze and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah." He said. He took her hand in his and led her over to sit on a bench right beside the statue of Rose he had carved on their last adventure here. The stone Rose was dressed as the goddess Fortuna, the bringer of luck, be it good or bad. The doctor hoped she would favor him now. "I don't really know where to start…" he admitted.

"At the beginning." Rose advised.

"Right." The doctor began. To properly explain, he needed to tell Rose in more detail about the Time War. She knew that his sleep was often plagued by nightmares, but now he had to tell her what it was that scared him so much. It was not an easy task for a man who had spent the better part of nine hundred years hiding his emotions. Rose listened with empathy, hand still holding tight to the doctor's and giving the occasional squeeze to remind him she was still there. He explained about how the dream had been cut off, and about the feeling of another presence in his mind. He looked ashamed when he admitted he had been hearing muffled voices for a while now. "That can't happen, Rose." he said angrily, as if chastising himself. "Unless there were another telepathic being nearby, and we know there's not." The doctor went on. "It has to be coming from me, from my mind disintegrating." He said, unable to mask the desperation in his voice. He looked over to Rose to gauge her reaction, but it was almost as if she hadn't been listening. She sat completely still, and her breaths were shallow. "Rose? Please say something." The doctor begged. Rose had been listening closely to everything her beloved doctor said, and it had started the gears in her mind turning. She wasn't altogether surprised to hear him confess he was hearing things, but when he mentioned another being, well, it was almost as if a light bulb had snapped on above her head. "Rose, speak to me! Are you okay?" The doctor began to take Rose's pulse, fearing she was ill. Rose shook herself and tried to reassure the doctor.

"I'm fine. It's not that." She gently pushed his hand away.

"Then what is it?" the doctor asked, urgently.

"It's just what you said, I mean about other telepaths."

"What?" the doctor was confused.

"You said there would have to be another telepath nearby to talk to you like that."

"Well, yes, in theory, but there isn't." he shook his head.

"Were all Time Lords telepathic?" Rose asked. "I mean if there were another Time Lord, they could talk to you in your mind like that?"

"But there isn't another Time Lord!" The doctor burst out in frustration. "I killed them all! Remember?" Rose looked down at her belly, and said very quietly,

"I think you created one."


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey Guys! I am once again need to apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I intended to post sooner, but my keyboard went wonky, and then I was traveling for a week. Your reviews make me so happy though, and I can't wait to pick this story up again! Let me know what you think of this chapter. Thanks!**

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It was now the Doctor's turn to be struck dumb. His eyes widened as he took in Rose's meaning. _I think you created one._ Could it be true? Could he, the last of the Time Lords and destroyer of his race, have inadvertently given new life to his species? It would be the closing of a circle, in a way. Rose and this unborn child had already brought him so much joy. Could they also bring healing to the wound the Time War had wrought in the doctor? It was almost too much to hope.

Yet the more he considered it, the more it seemed blindingly obvious. They already knew the baby had two hearts from the scans, and it would provide an explanation for all the recent turmoil of the doctor's mind. He had never considered the possibility that the child would be so keenly telepathic. The few records of Gallifreyans reproducing with non-psychic beings showed that most of the Time Lords' extraordinary senses were lost or extremely diminished in mixed-breed offspring. But, then again, the doctor supposed, the records could certainly have been altered or even fabricated by the High Council of the Time Lords as eugenic propaganda. Another factor the doctor had not considered until now was Rose's stint as the Bad Wolf. Taking the entirety of the vortex inside her might have altered her DNA.

"Doctor?" Rose's asked in a small, hesitant voice. He broke out of his reverie and turned to his future bond-mate, eyes shining.

"Rose," he whispered her name reverently. "Would you allow me to find out?"

"You can do that? But how?" She looked concerned.

"It's fairly simple." the doctor told her. "I just need to reach out to the baby with my mind and see if he responds. If he does, well then…" the doctor trailed off.

"Okay." Rose said simply, giving him permission. The doctor nodded solemnly, trying to tamp down the cocktail of excitement and anxiety brewing within him. He placed his hands gently on either side of Rose's swollen belly and closed his eyes. At first there was nothing, just the vaguely gray space that had filled this part of his mind since the war. But then as if discerning a far off light through the fog, the doctor saw it. He focused in and the pulsing glow of energy drew nearer. The doctor tentatively reached out and touched the other being in his mind and the glow brightened. Now the initial connection had been made, a flow of information could pass between the doctor and his little one. With other telepaths, the doctor would have expected to communicate primarily through words or images passed from one mind to the other. Only in the most intimate moments did Time Lords telepathically share emotion. It was almost a taboo for the rigidly stoic culture to allow such vulnerability. Because of this it caught the doctor off guard when he began to feel the pure emotion of the baby washing over him. It made sense though, as the child did not yet understand language, and had a very limited experience of sight in the womb. Rose let out a gasp as she felt a particularly sharp kick near her ribcage. The sound reminded the doctor of his original mission, and he mentally stepped back from the little time tot, not without regret. Sending his own feelings of love and awe through the fading link, he drew back his hands and opened his eyes. Rose's face appeared to him, full of concern. She was worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, but the doctor stopped her by running his thumb gently over her mouth. He stroked Rose's cheek and then pressed a deep, grateful kiss to her lips. After they broke apart, Rose was the first to speak.

"Well?" she asked. The doctor's face broke into a wide grin.

"He is." the doctor said, voice trembling.

"Truly? The baby's a Time Lord?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Well, I don't know whether we should call him a Time Lord, exactly. I mean he's still got plenty of human in him, but he's definitely telepathic!" The doctor couldn't stop smiling. "Oh Rose, he's just brilliant!"

"What was it like?" Rose asked in wonder, but then she stopped herself. "Hold on, you keep saying he…"

The doctor nodded enthusiastically.

"But how? I mean, you could tell? We're having a little boy?" Rose asked, tears forming in her eyes. The doctor wrapped Rose up in a tight hug.

"Yes. We're having a little boy." he said softly. "Marvelous little chap, he is too." The doctor couldn't suppress a thrilled giggle. Rose laughed too, crying but beaming.

"You could talk to him?" she asked in amazement.

"Weeeell, not as such, no." the doctor admitted. "He's not too good with words yet. He's smart as a whip though, I could tell!" the doctor hurried to add. Rose smiled at the doctor indulgently.

"Well, at least he hasn't inherited your non-stop gob." Rose winked. The doctor huffed indignantly, but he was too excited to tell Rose the rest to pause for long.

"Truly Rose, it was incredible! I just reached out and the little guy connected right away. I could feel him in here." He tapped his temple. "There's been nothing there for so long." He added somewhat mournfully, remembering the constant ebb and flow of his own people that had filled his mind up until the Time War.

"What else? Could you tell anything else?" Rose prompted him, eagerly. The doctor broke from his reverie.

"Nothing too specific really. Mostly all I could feel was contentment. He's quite happy to be all snug and warm in there." The doctor patted Rose's belly fondly. "Oh, also, we woke him up. He wasn't too pleased about that. I expect that's why he kicked you just then." The doctor grinned, sheepishly. Rose giggled.

"I can't believe you could connect to him." she said, shaking her head in wonderment. "Wish I could." She added, wistfully. The doctor snapped his fingers, a thought occurring to him.

"Ah, about that…" Rose looked up at him. "You see, there's this thing about the Gallifreyan Bonding Ceremony, I didn't mention it before, well, I didn't think it would matter really. It's not that I doubted you, but you have to understand, I didn't want put pressure, well not pressure obviously, but I didn't want to raise any expectations if it were to not happen…" the Doctor was cut short by Rose's groan of frustration.

"Get to the point, Doctor, or this baby will be born before I know what you're on about."

"Right, yes, the point, excellent idea." The doctor cleared his throat. "You see when life mates were bonded on Gallifrey, they said vows, just like a human wedding, but there was also a bit where they forged a mental connection." The doctor looked at Rose to see that she understood what he was saying. She nodded, urging him to go on. "All Time Lords could communicate telepathically, but the bonding link was special, sort of like a stronger, more intimate channel between two souls." Rose was starting to get the picture, and interrupted the doctor again.

"But I'm not telepathic…" she started.

"I know. I'm getting to that." the doctor said quickly. "That's why I thought it wouldn't matter. The thing is, now that we know the baby's a telepath, I think I can be pretty sure in saying that you have that potential too."

"But, how?" Rose asked.

"Combination of factors, I should think." answered the doctor. "You probably had a low level psychic capability to begin with, and then you took in the time vortex, which will have sealed the deal, as it were. Looking into the heart of the TARDIS amplified what was already there, slightly tweaking your DNA, and presto, a telepathic Rose Tyler!" the doctor summed up with a flourish of his hand. Rose's stared at him, her jaw slack. "Rose?" the doctor said, hesitantly. "Rose? If you don't want, I mean, I'm really sorry. I know how you don't like things getting in your head, but I just thought you might… well never mind." Hearing the doubt in her doctor's voice made Rose focus. She shook her head adamantly.

"No. I'm not sorry." She told the doctor. "It's just a lot to take in all at once." The doctor nodded.

"We don't have to form the link. It is a choice." said the doctor.

"I want the link." Rose answered firmly. "Of course I do. I want anything that will bring us closer together. I just didn't know it was even possible. You know, Mum always says that Granny Prentice was psychic. I wonder if it got passed down." she mused.

"Oh yes, most likely. These things usually travel in families." The doctor said knowledgably, but then his voice became tremulously hopeful. "You're sure? About the bond I mean."

"Yes." Rose told him, looking directly into his warm brown eyes. A smile spread slowly over the doctor's face.

"It'll be a little strange at first, I shouldn't wonder, but I know you'll get the hang of it. My beautiful, amazing Rose!" he exclaimed, excitedly. He hugged her tighter to him and began rubbing tender circles over her expansive belly. "Did you hear that, little one? Mummy's going to be able to link with us!" he told her tummy.

"Wait a minute, _us_? I thought it was just you that I'm bonding with." Rose wrinkled her brow.

"Well, yes, of course, but any offspring of a bonded pair will share in the link, at least until they get older and find a bond-mate themselves. Surely I mentioned that."

"Er, no, you managed to leave that bit out." said Rose with a note of sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh, well that's what reminded me in the first place. You said you wanted to be able to connect with the baby like I did, and after the wedding you'll be able to." Rose's face lit up at the prospect of really communicating with her unborn baby. "It'll be dead useful, I imagine." The doctor continued. "You can tell him to shift when he's poking you in the ribs or squashing your bladder." Rose laughed.

"Speaking of my bladder, I'd better find a loo sharpish." Rose announced.

"Right!" the doctor said, helping Rose heave herself up from the bench. He was by now all too familiar with the frequent bathroom trips required for pregnant humans. As he walked behind Rose, waddling towards the villa, he secretly thought there probably were some benefits to looming babies after all.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi everyone! I hope you all like this chapter, it's extra-fluffy. I also photo-shopped a little picture to go along with it, lol. I will put the link at the end. Thanks!**

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"Farewell then, good Doctor!" Gracilis called from the doorway of the villa. Marcia stood beside him, waving the couple off, but Optatus was nowhere to be seen, which was just as well.

"Thanks again for everything!" Rose called over her shoulder as she and the doctor walked hand in hand around the corner to find the TARDIS. They reached the familiar blue box that was their home and the doctor turned his key in the lock.

"Your chariot, my Lady." He said with a sweeping bow as he pulled the door open for Rose.

"Why thank you, Sir Doctor." Said Rose, playfully dropping the best curtsy she could manage in her current state. She stepped into the ship and almost immediately tripped forward over a large shopping bag left over from the baby shower. Time seemed to go in slow motion as Rose hurtled towards the floor at the bottom of the ramp. The doctor was horrified, knowing he could never catch her in time.

"Rose!" he cried in agony as she was about to smash into the grating. Suddenly, there was a whoosh of air and Rose's descent was halted leaving her floating about a foot above the floor of the console room. There was a pop and just below her appeared a puffy duvet and pile of pillows covered in red question marks. The whoosh came again and Rose was unceremoniously dumped onto the pile. It was a soft, if not very graceful, landing.

"Ooof" she grunted, rolling onto her side. The doctor came rushing in towards her, kicking the offending shopping bag for good measure on the way.

"Rose, are you okay? Speak to me! Are you hurt?" He began taking her pulse and methodically checking her over with his eyes.

"I'm fine, I think. Baby okay?" she asked. The doctor quickly closed his eyes and reached for the energy of the child, a practice that was now becoming routine since they discovered the telepathy of their little boy. He felt a trill of pleasure and happiness coming across the link, and opened his eyes to reassure Rose.

"He's fine." Both parents smiled in relief. "Actually, he seemed to quite enjoy the ride. Baby's first rollercoaster, I suppose." laughed the doctor. "Although it will never be happening again." he added seriously.

"What _did_ happen?" Rose asked. "I mean I know I tripped, but then what? Something caught me." She looked puzzled.

"It could only have been the TARDIS." The doctor shook his head in amazement. "She can, on occasion, temporarily divert physics, but it takes massive amounts of energy. We'll have to make a pit stop in Cardiff to refuel."

"And these?" Rose asked indicating the oddly patterned bedding underneath her.

"She must've pulled them from the linen storage, clever girl. I haven't seen these since my seventh regeneration! We should really use them again." Rose made a repulsed face. "What?" the doctor asked incredulously.

"They're covered in question marks, that's what." answered Rose.

"But question marks are cool, Rose! They give off that whole _man of mystery_ vibe."

"You already wear superhero pants, do we really need mystery man sheets?" asked Rose.

"I thought you liked my pants!" said the doctor, offended.

"'Course I do, best pants in the world and all that." Rose reassured the doctor. "But really, I'm putting my foot down on the sheets."

"Quite literally." The doctor punned, as Rose's feet were currently resting on the duvet. "Sorry, couldn't resist." He added apologetically after seeing Rose's face.

"Well if you want me off your precious bedding, then you're going to help me up, Time Lord." Rose informed the doctor.

"Right-o, up we get!" he said, straining to scoop Rose up and standing her on the floor.

"Thanks." she said. "And thank you too, old girl." she added, stroking the console. The TARDIS lights dimmed momentarily in modestly.

"So, you infinite, ingenious super-ship," the doctor flattered the TARDIS, "surely you can find us a place to put all this junk!" He indicated the many baby supplies and gifts strewn around the room.

"S'not junk!" pouted Rose.

"Fine, a place to put all of these terribly useful, yet mindboggling, items that we apparently need in order to take proper care of a baby." The TARDIS hummed, pondering the situation, a little re-arranging here, an ejected room or two there, and she had it! A lighted path appeared on the floor, leading out of the console room and down a long corridor.

"Bingo!" the doctor exclaimed. "Allons-y!" he took Rose's hand and lead her along the path, excitedly. They arrived in front of a pale blue wooden door, upon which the word _nursery_ was emblazoned in royal blue, curling script. Rose held her breath, realizing this wasn't just one of the TARDIS's storage closets. "Let's see what she's made for us, then." said the doctor as he turned the old fashioned, brass handle.

"Oh," Rose let out a gasp of amazement as the door swung open. The doctor gave a low whistle.

"Not bad, Old Girl." He patted a wall. Rose loved the nursery; that much she knew. At first though, she couldn't put her finger on why. Of course it was lovely, with pale yellow walls and plush, high pile rugs, but this room was special in a way that transcended its furnishings. After a few moments Rose realized what it was that made her heart swell. The nursery combined the best aspects of the life she shared with her doctor. It was a hybrid of Gallifreyan and Earth sensibilities, bringing together elements from each culture. The architecture of the room echoed the rest of the TARDIS with coral struts framing a nursing nook complete with a cozy, white rocking chair. However there were features of the room that weren't usually found on the ship. The skylights for instance, were an addition the TARDIS had made for her pink and yellow human. They poured golden "sunlight" into the room making it seem neither indoors, nor entirely outdoors. In one corner there was a large toy chest that doubled as a bench where fuzzy teddies were currently nestled. The doctor went over to look and discovered, to his delight, that a soft toy TARDIS was snuggled in amongst the bears. All around the nursery there were delicate touches that reminded him of Rose. The aged, white painted wood of the crib and the changing table, the vases of fresh flowers, and most prominently, the belly cast of Rose that had been made on Balneum III was hung with satin ribbon on one wall.

It was Rose who first noticed the sprinkling of doctor-ish elements the TARDIS had thrown in. There was a painted border of little K-9s running along the changing table, and she swore there was a faint scent of bananas in the air. Best of all, tucked inside the crib was a soft patchwork blanket sewn together using bits of all of the doctor's old suits. To most people, Rose supposed, it would look a bit jarring. The combination of bright colors and question marks, black leather and embroidered celery would be considered awfully strange. But it was a strange man who Rose loved, and a stranger life that they lived together. Strange, and mad, and completely wonderful.

Rose had picked up the blanket and was running her fingers over a worn leather patch when the Doctor came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "What do you think?" he said softly into her hair.

"I think it's perfect." she sighed contentedly.

"Me too." said the doctor, slowly rocking Rose side to side in his strong embrace.

"Only thing missing is him." said Rose, cradling her belly fondly.

"Not long now." The doctor placed his hands atop of Rose's.

"There's only one problem with this room." proclaimed the doctor.

"And what's that, Doctor?" asked Rose.

"It's so brilliant and exciting that the little guy will never go to sleep! Really, who could sleep with all of the toys over there just itching to be played with? I mean he is my son after all, Rose." Rose thought about that for a moment, wondering how much the average Human-Time Lord baby _would_ sleep. She quickly decided that, like most things, they'd simply have to figure it out when the time came. Worst case scenario, his less than somnolent father could stay up all night with him.

"I'm sure there's a way to turn the lights down, at least." said Rose. Almost as soon as the words left her lips, the TARDIS responded by darkening the skylights and projecting a mesmerizing display of stars and galaxies all across the ceiling.

"Ooooh!" the doctor exhaled, appreciatively. "Look, Rose, there's the Medusa Cascade. Oh, and you can see Kasterberous, the seven systems. And that's…" the doctor voice became constricted. "It's still there, the Shining World. That's Gallifrey, Rose. My home. Until I met you."

"It's beautiful." Rose whispered and stroked the doctor's cheek tenderly. The image of the lost planet glowed softly red in between its twin suns. "I'm so glad our son will be able to see it." she added. The doctor nodded in agreement. As they stood, admiring the mysteries of the stars a lullaby began to play. It was a tune that Rose had never heard before, for if she had she would surely have remembered it. There was an unearthly tone to the music, and it seemed to speak of snowcapped mountains and wind through silver leaved trees. Rose realized that her hand, still cradling the doctor's face, was getting wet. She moved her thumb to wipe away the doctor's precious tears.

"This is a Gallifreyan lullaby." He told her, hoarsely. Rose nodded. With one hand still caressing his face, she intertwined her fingers with his. Rose squeezed her doctor's hand, letting him know that it was okay, that he was safe in this place, with her. And finally, in the dark, beneath the constellations of his youth, the doctor allowed himself to grieve for his people.

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**Sorry for the sad ending :'( I promise things will cheer up soon! Here's the address to the picture I mentioned: madameenjolras DOT tumblr DOT comSLASHimageSLASH49471510054. It was my original vision for the nursery, so some of it is different than the story. Also, please excuse my profound lack of photo-editing skillzzzz. If for some reason the page doesn't work, please PM me. Thanks, and don't forget to review! xoxo **


	21. Chapter 21

**Hi Everyone,**

**I can only apologize for my long, long absence from this story. My only excuse is that I am moving and starting school, so I have been quite busy. I'm sorry. I still intend to finish this story, but I don't know when that will happen. For now, here's another little chapter. I really appreciate those of you who are still interested in this, and have stuck with me this far. Cheers!**

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"Should we invite Charles Dickens to the wedding?" the doctor asked casually as he and Rose were lingering over a full English breakfast. Rose spit out a mouthful of tea.

"Come again?" she asked, blinking.

"Dickens, Rose, Charles Dickens, you remember him! I just wanted to know what you thought about inviting him to the wedding." Rose made a strangled choking sound, unable to articulate all of the reasons this question was absurd.

"Doctor, the wedding is in three days!" she said.

"Well, yes, for us it's in three days, but for him it's not for ages." answered the doctor.

"Besides, I've already sent the guest list to Mum weeks ago." added Rose, shaking her head.

"Er, yes, but I may have called her up and added a name or two…" admitted the doctor, sheepishly.

"You did what?" Rose was more shocked than angry.

"I, err, phoned up your Mum, and told her to consider your list as a first draft."

"You actually called _my mother_ of your own free will to do _wedding planning_?" Rose's mouth hung agape.

"Well, yes." Answered the doctor without batting an eye.

"Are you feeling alright, Doctor?" asked Rose, suspiciously.

"Of course I am! Never better!" he exclaimed, a bit indignantly.

"It just, well, isn't this all a bit _domestic_ for you?" To Rose's surprise the doctor let out a loud guffaw.

"No offense, Rose," he answered her, between giggles, "but I think that ship has sailed." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." said Rose as she looked objectively at the cozy scene they were inhabiting. Her first doctor would have been truly scandalized to see himself as he was now, making breakfast for his heavily pregnant soon-to-be wife.

"You know, it's really all your fault." The doctor added, smugly. Rose looked at him questioningly. "Me being all mushy and domestic, you did it. I was a goner from the moment you stepped foot inside the TARDIS." He smiled fondly.

"I wouldn't say it was all me. If I recall, you had a hand in creating this little family of ours."

"More than a hand. " The doctor gave Rose a saucy wink. "Seriously though, this me was pre-disposed to loving you."

"What d'you mean 'pre-disposed'? You make it sound like I forced you." Rose's brow furrowed. The doctor came to sit next to her, and kissed her on the forehead.

"I didn't mean it that way." he said soothingly. "Bad choice of words. Sorry." Rose relaxed a little. "I just wanted to explain," the doctor continued, "You've made me better in so many ways. You see, every new regeneration of a Time Lord is influenced by the circumstances of his birth, so to speak." The doctor went on to explain. "When you met me, the ninth me, I had just regenerated out of the War. That played a big role in my personality. I was gruff, and jaded, and you might even say hostile."

"You were hurting." interrupted Rose, sadness in her eyes.

"Yes." acknowledged the doctor. "And you changed that. You brought joy and hope back into my life. But don't you see what that means for this version of me?" he asked expectantly. Rose just shook her head.

"I regenerated into the person I am now because I needed to save you." Rose opened her mouth to say something, but the doctor continued. "In short, that cantankerous, big-eared version of me died for love, specifically for your love, Rose Tyler. And that made me, well, a bit domestic." he concluded.

"I still don't get how him dying to save me, makes you wanna call up my mum." said Rose, struggling to keep up with her gobby Time Lord.

"Well, precisely at the moment this me was being cooked up, all the last me was thinking about was you, specifically, kissing you. I suppose that set the stage for all this. The ninth me was born blocked off to emotion, but you crept in and broke down the walls, I guess you could say I'm the product of the moment when he finally let go. In a way, I was born to love you, and I now I want to give you all those little domestic things that you deserve. Even though I'm still the same man, I must admit, I love cooking you breakfast these days." He smiled contentedly. "Speaking of which, do you want that last bit of sausage?" Rose didn't answer, trying to take in all that the doctor had told her. "Rose?" he asked.

"Er, no, you have it." She answered in a daze.

"Now I'm worried about you." said the doctor teasingly, as he plonked the sausage onto his own plate. "You always want the last sausage." He grinned. Only then did he realize that Rose was looking slightly unfocused. The doctor's tone changed at once. "Rose, talk to me, love. Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?" He moved to place his hands on her belly to check on the baby, but she caught them in her own.

"I'm not in pain." She assured him. "It's just you… what you just said, I mean, about being born to love me. That's possibly the most romantic thing I've ever heard." A rogue tear slipped down Rose's smiling face. The doctor was flabbergasted. He had thought they had just been having a nice chat over breakfast, and now his Rose was crying…and smiling. He panicked in response to the mixed signals. What was he supposed to do when his human appeared to be both happy and sad at the same time?

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be too romantic!" he blurted out, without thinking. Rose burst out laughing.

"I know you sodding alien, that's why it was so romantic!" exclaimed Rose, now wiping away tears of mirth. "It was lovely. I'm not sad. I was touched." She shook her head.

"Oh, good." said the doctor, taking Rose into his arms. She snuggled into him, wiping the last of her tears on his cotton shirt. "I thought I had upset you, and that would be very bad, especially at this stage." He stroked her belly, and felt a kick from within. "See, he agrees with me! No upsetting Mummy." The doctor declared. Rose laughed.

"So who else have you invited to the wedding without telling me?" She asked, playfully.

"Oh, you know, just a few people." he said evasively.

"How many is a few?" asked Rose.

"Um, thirty-seven, give or take…" the doctor said hurriedly.

"Thirty-seven people?" Rose gasped.

"Well, that depends on your definition of people really." The doctor lamely attempted to defend himself.

"Who?" Rose demanded.

"Er, let's see," said the doctor, trying to remember. "Well, there were a couple of Oods I know, and that nice Doctor Constantine from 1940s London. Oh yes, and Sarah Jane!"

"You invited your ex-girlfriend to our wedding without asking me?" Rose couldn't believe her ears. "What happened to not upsetting me?"

"She's not, we weren't, that never…" spluttered the doctor. "I told you, Sarah Jane and I were just friends! You're the only one, Rose."

"Luckily for you, I'm not the jealous type." said Rose. The doctor coughed disbelievingly under his breath, but knew enough to hold his tongue. "Besides, me and her got on alright in the end." added Rose. "Still, you could a' mentioned it."

"I'm sorry." said the doctor genuinely. "I just thought it best not to bother you with all the details. I promise I won't invite anyone else without asking you first." he vowed. "Which reminds me, what about old Charlie-boy?"

"You seriously want to invite Charles Dickens to our wedding?"

"Yeah!" said the doctor emphatically. "C'mon, Rose, how many people can say they had Winston Churchill _and_ Charles Dickens at their wedding?"

"You invited bloody Winston Churchill too?!" Rose cried.

"Well, I had to Rose, we're old pals! He'd be terribly offended if I didn't." answered the doctor. Rose sighed. What had started as a simple, little wedding was turning into an intergalactic circus.

"Doctor, what about the guests who _don't_ know about the whole time-travel thing? Won't they be a bit surprised when a whole pack of historical figures drop by for a piece of cake?"

"Don't be silly, Rose. They're all supposed to arrive incognito. I made a note on the invitation. 'Semi-formal attire, BYOD.'" said the Doctor.

"B-Y-O-D?" asked Rose, skeptically.

"Bring your own disguise!" proclaimed the doctor as if it were entirely obvious.

"Right, so not only are we having a load of famous dead people at the wedding, they're all going to be wearing sunglasses and funny mustaches." Rose shook her head, exasperated.

"There are many merits to a funny mustache, Rose. I'm thinking of wearing one to the wedding myself…" The doctor grinned, cheekily.

"Yeah, don't you dare." Rose shot back.

"This is why I didn't tell you about the extra guests, I knew it would make you anxious, and I was trying very hard to prevent anxiety in one Rose Tyler." Rose grumbled. "Besides, it won't be that bad. We'll zip around and collect them in the TARDIS, and I can sort out any wonky disguises in the wardrobe room. Easy Peasy!" The doctor snapped his fingers.

"Easy Peasy?" said Rose, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, I'm never saying that again." conceded the doctor. "But you take my point."

"Okay," Rose relented. "I guess it'll be fine. Besides, it's not like we can un-invite people since you've already sent the invitations."

"Well, technically we could go back in each individual's time stream and intercept the invitations before they arrive, but that would take quite a bit of effort and could create some dangerous paradoxes that might put the whole universe at risk…" explained the doctor.

"Yeah, I guess we should just leave it then." Rose smiled.

"Probably for the best." Agreed the doctor, beaming back.


End file.
